According to the Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy

from University of Illinois at Chicago, customer service is defined as activities and

programs provided to make the relationship a satisfying one for the customer; the
degree of assistance and courtesy granted those who patronize the organization; the
provision of goods and services in a way that exceeds the customer's expectations;
taking active steps (as opposed to always reacting) to improve a product or service
delivery; and supporting activities at the customer/provider interface adding value to a
product.

Researches have tried to found the objectives of customer service in order to
explain its importance on business. For the purpose of this case study, three different
researches will be shown and while they will have different authors, a pattern will
most likely be revealed between all of the objectives.

As a privately held company, N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc., is
the leading provider of extended service contracts and product protection programs
worldwide. NEW offers customizable, end-to-end customer service solutions for
partners in industries such as retail, manufacturing, and satellite TVs. And for more
than 26 years, NEW has delivered outstanding results for our partners by delivering
exceptional care to their customers. The key role of customer service people,
according to N.E.W. is to provide all kind of customer support. Be it technical issues,
product queries, or quality issue, the employee has to have an answer to all. Apart
from this, he or she has to handle different kinds of customers with an assurance of
high satisfaction level in all regards. Every one have their unique sets of
characteristics and behavior, with this it becomes really difficult as well as
challenging to handle all. Hence, the representative has to tactfully take care of all
without losing his or her temperament and maintaining the companys credibility.

Next we have a research from eHow Money which classifies the objectives of
customer service in five categories: customer expectations, customer needs,
complains and feedback, reception, and customer relationship. 1) Meet customer
expectations. Know your company's products and services and know how to explain
them clearly to customers. 2) Meet the needs of all customers, regardless of their age,
race, sex, religion or geographical location. 3) Handle customer complaints in a
prompt and friendly way. 4) Make eye contact with customers and greet them with a
pleasant "Good morning" or "Hello." 5) Learn how to deal with customers in all
circumstances. Ask your company to publish a manual that includes service standards
and helpful information about services or products. Recognize that good customer
service means everything to your company's success and to your personal success.

Finally, a well recognized company as Deloitte has set the standards for great
customer service with the objectives they aim to accomplish:
Determine, on each engagement, who our clients are and directly ascertain
their expectations for our performance.
Analyze our clients' needs and professional service requirements.
Develop client service objectives that will enable us to fulfill our professional
responsibilities, satisfy our clients' needs, and exceed their expectations.
Prepare an appropriate client service plan to achieve these client service
objectives.
Execute the client service plan in a manner that ensures commitments are met,
potential problems anticipated, and surprises avoided.
Establish effective and creative communications, both internal and external, to
enhance client perception of the value and quality of our service.
Provide management with insights on the condition of their business and
meaningful suggestions for improvement.
Continually broaden and strengthen our relationships with key management
personnel to facilitate effective communication and foster client loyalty.

While there are several people who can naturally give the best customer
service possible, most employees need a lot of training before engaging with
customers. Upon this necessity, many studies have revealed essential and key points
for achieving the best customer service experience.

Even if you're not looking to become a full-time customer service
representative, you may find yourself playing the part at times in your chosen line of
work. If you own your own business, for example, you become the customer service
representative to your clients, even when you're not selling a tangible good. The
fundamentals of attracting and retaining business all tie in to the same skill set.
Whether you're styling hair, offering financial consultation, or selling computers, the
way you interact with your clients can be just as important as the quality of your
product or service. Here are five essential skills needed for quality customer service
from a 2011 research at Ashworth College:

Patience: In an ideal world, people would call companies all the time to say
how wonderful their services are and how they can't wait to recommend the business
to everyone they know. While this does happen, it is more often the case that people
contact companies when a problem has occurred. Knowing how to detach from any
anger a customer may be expressing while still acknowledging his or her feelings and
cutting to the root of the issue is highly important. In customer service, you can't take
a client's negativity personally. Instead, you must remain professional and be patient
while the client works through his or her frustration.

Active listening: "Active" listening is paying close attention to the person
who is speaking and engaging with him or her through eye contact and body
language. The listener then repeats in his or her own words what the speaker has said,
to allow for maximum clarity and ensure the information is being communicated
effectively. Giving verbal cues such as "I hear you" help let your conversation partner
know that you are on the same page.

Clear speaking: It might go without saying, but the easier your voice is to
understand; the better the customer will be able to follow along with you. Enunciating
and speaking at a volume that is easy for the listener to process will help you hold his
or her attention. Conversely, if you speak too quietly or mumble your words, it can
frustrate the customer or make him or her disconnect from you, ultimately hurting
your business.

Friendliness: This might seem like a no-brainer, but the vibe you give off
when dealing with customers is powerful and stays with them. An old saying goes,
"People don't remember what you say; they remember how you make them feel."
Smiling, maintaining eye contact, and keeping a cool head when others are irritated
sends a positive message that your customer will remember later on. Better still, this
behavior is often contagious and can help relax the customer if he or she is
experiencing tension.

Quick thinking: To be able to get problems resolved, you need to have a solid
understanding of the product or service you are offering, and the ability to tap into
this knowledge quickly. Staying up to date on industry news and company policies
gives you a wealth of resources to help solve the problem at hand.

Any research loses its value withut numerical data to support their findings.
This is where the case study of Home Depot by Seeking Alpha becomes of great
significance. In the face of a very competitive environment and concerns for the
housing market, Home Depot looks to have a very strong fiscal year 2012. In Q4
2011, Home Depot's revenue increased 5.9% to $16.014 billion, up from $15.126
billion. Home Depot reported earnings of $744 million, or .$50 per share, which is up
from a year-earlier when Home Depot reported a profit of $587 million, or $.36 per
share. The improved performance was due to the stores customer service initiatives.
Because of the companies attention to building customer service initiatives, Home
Depot's strong quarter has been led by the quarterly comparable store sales.

Over the past few years, Home Depot has been increasingly focused on
building it's customer service initiatives. The plan is for Home Depot to create a more
convenient store by creating more store services. Frank Blake stated in Home Depots
Earnings Conference Call: Based on the changes we've made throughout the year, we
now have approximately 53% of our store labor hours dedicated to customer-facing
activity. Just four years ago, we were at 40%, so this is a significant improvement in a
short period of time. It has required a lot of detailed planning and focused execution
at the regional, district and store level to make this happen, and this speaks to the
alignment of our store operations and support teams.

Aided by the customer initiatives, the quarterly comparable store sales rose
5.7%. The rise in per store sales was due to unseasonably warm weather and a pick up
in the economy in some of the hardest hit areas in the U.S. The unseasonably warm
weather helped drive customer traffic, as people were able to work on their houses in
the winter months. Sales in gutters, roofing, vinyl siding, patio furniture, fencing,
exterior paint, pressure washers, exterior lighting and concrete all facilitated double-
digit comps.

Before creating a checklist to evaluate customer service in Guayaquil,
Ecuador, we must identify hat attributes to a good and a bad customer service.
Retrieved from the Department of Psychiatry from the University of Illinois at
Chicago, here are some examples of bad customer service:
The clerk was talking on the phone while ringing up your order.
You were standing at a counter waiting for help while the employees ignored
you.
You asked a clerk for help and you got an eye roll and big sigh in response to
your question.
Even though you had an appointment and arrived on time, you waited for
more than an hour with no explanation or apology.
You were led to believe that you would be receiving something but discovered
that it wasnt available after all.
The following are examples of good customer service retrieved from the same
research:
While at a restaurant the manager approached your table and asked if
everything was okay.
A pharmacist in a large drug store took the time to explain the side effects of a
medication to you on a busy day.
The person who helped you guided you toward a better product that was more
in line with what you really wanted.

Revealed in our appendix, the checklist we used for the evaluations of
customer service in Guayaquil, Ecuador was based on some of these examples of
what an ideal customer service should be like. The checklist will be applied to three
different types of stores: retailer, specialty and food. Due to obvious differences
among the types of stores mentioned before, some questions cannot be applied in
every stores, like the ones asking about silverware condition or waitress time that are
aimed to food stores.

In the aforementioned checklist, its vocabulary includes words such as hostess
and server. For restaurants and food stores, this applies directly to the hostess that
walks you to your table while server is the waiter or waitress that delivers your meal.
However, for retailers and specialty stores, we have considered the hostess as the
person who greets you at the entrance of the store and helps you when you are
looking for something. Meanwhile the server in the same case, means the employee
that helps you with the location of certain products and also the employees who works
at the cashier where the payment is made.

Case Study: The following case study will analyze the customer service from the
same stores throughout different social classes (lower, middle and high).

Food Stores / Restaurants:
Sweet and Coffee
Sweet and Coffee is an Ecuadorian caf, which has been very popular since its
start. Unlike fast food restaurants, in a caf like this, customers want a comfortable
and relaxed place where they can have light meals and snacks accompanied by cold or
hot beverages like coffee. They have many restaurants around Ecuador and they all
share the same menu; however what matters most is the customer service. Sweet and
Coffee employees are trained in customer service in order to offer the best possible
experience. In this case study, we evaluated three stores around Ecuador which where
divided social classes. For example, in the South Sweet and Coffee from Mall del Sur,
they are located in a small space shared with several other restaurants from the food
court. They only thing they share with the other Sweet and Coffee evaluated is the
menu because overall, customer service was rated fair. Due to the lack of their own
tables, chairs, their own space, this Sweet and Coffee should compensate their
respectable image with an outstanding customer service, which they fail to do. The
employee at the cashier takes your order with a polite conversation but does not make
eye contact with you and the employee that serves your meal just takes the receipt and
gives you the plate with your order. The location of this Sweet and Coffee classifies it
as a lower class shop.

Next we have the Sweet and Coffee shop located in Mall del Sol (rated good),
which is considered a middle class shopping mall. In here, we have something for low
and middle class. We have the same type of store as Mall del Sur which is a small
place shared with every other restaurant in the food court, but there is also a Sweet
and Coffee shop at the center of the mall where they have a better ambient with their
own space. This Sweet and Coffee located at the center of Mall del Sol was the one
we evaluated. Unlike the previous shop, here the employee at the cashier talks with
you while maintaining eye contact and even make suggestions of what you buy to
accompany your meal. As they have their own space, the server delivers your food to
your table and they are very attentive if you need anything. Even though its separated
from the food court, youre still in a shopping mall where it is not the best place to
relax with a snack and a coffee.

Finally we evaluated the Sweet and Coffee shop found at Plaza Lagos in
Samborondon (rated between excellent and good). This is not a shopping mall as Mall
del Sol or Mall del Sur, it is a high class open space with several areas, including a
Sweet and Coffee shop next to the lake. The appearance of this shop is outstanding
compared to the previous shops; the conditions and cleanliness of the tables and chair
are far better than before. The best customer service is given here and in Mall del Sol,
however the appearance and simply the entire environment of this Sweet and Coffee,
makes the entire experience better for Sweet and Coffee in Samborondon.

Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC is a fast food restaurant and because they have very few shops that are on
their own (like Plazaquil) and not part of a food court, they must create an experience
of having a KFC meal just when ordering. First, we evaluated KFC from Mall del
Sur. Long lines, several employees but only one cashier attending and even bad
quality food. The smell was very strong and employees were talking more between
each other than with the customers. However, being a low class shopping mall, no one
seemed to complain or say anything about it, giving this shop no reason to improve its
poor customer service. The overall customer service shop was rated poor.

Next we decided to evaluate a KFC that was not found in a food court, such as
the shop from Plazaquil in Kennedy (next to San Marino), which can be considered as
a middle class shop. There was a vast improvement in customer service where
employees where very attentive, gave suggestions for your order, there was an
employee constantly cleaning tables in order to keep the restaurant clean, and a
visible manager who looked for small details or complains customer had. Small things
as the smell and condition of tables and chair made the rating of this shop good and
not excellent, but still so much better than the KFC from Mall del Sur.

Then we returned to a food court KFC but this time located in Riocentro
Samborondon (a medium to high class shopping mall). While the appearance of the
food court and the condition of the tables was better than previous shops, its customer
service was rated average because it wasnt as horrible as Mall del Sur yet as
satisfying as in Plazaquil. These employees were polite but took a long time serving
the orders and sometimes the food wasnt cooked at its best.

Naturisimo
Naturisimo is not a fast food restaurant like KFC but it is neither a place
people go to relax and distract as Sweet and Coffee. They offer yogurt, cassava bread
(pan de yucca) and other similar products which most customers order to go and that
is reflected on their small restaurants around Guayaquil which prove their need to
have a big place where people can just sit and relax. While they have some small
restaurants around Ecuador, they are more likely to be found in at shopping malls for
convenience. Just as Sweet and Coffee and KFC, Naturisimo is found at Mall del Sur
but no in the food court. They have a very small stand just as an ice cream shop near
the entrance/exit of the mall. We rated the customer service from there as poor due to
the strong smell, dirty and un maintained place, careless employees which see you
waiting at the cashier but makes you wait. Their lack of efficiency is what makes
many customers try to buy something their but leave as soon as they are not being
attended while employees do nothing to stop it.

Next we have a Naturisimo in Mall del Sol (rated good) located relatively at
the same place: near the entrance/exit. In this shop, employees are more polite and
possibly due to a smaller shop, employees are more efficient are able to attend several
customers at once and maintain a very clean workplace/kitchen. They keep you very
informed of where to go, when your order will be served and the waiting time is
acceptable.

Finally we went to a Naturisimo with its own restaurant that does not belong
to a big shopping mall like Mall del Sol or Mall del Sur. This is the case of
Naturusimo from Bocca in Samborondon where the shop have its own place with
their own tables and chair and a patio shared with other small restaurants like a
pizzeria. The customer service experience was very pleasant even though every
employee is behind the counter either at the kitchen or cashier. Their lack of an
employee attending customers already seated and with small details as passing some
napkins or cleaning dirty tables with leftovers, made us rate this customer service as
average.


Retailers:
Megamaxi
Megamaxi is a retailer store that is more than the grocery store it appears to be
because it sells clothing, house appliances and more. Just as Mi Comisariato, which
will be evaluated next, there are many stores around the country due to the diversity
they offer and how everything can be found in both of these stores. First, we started
evaluating the Megamaxi store from Mall del Sur. While the appearance and
cleanliness of the store was not the best, the customer service experience was
compensated at the cashier were employees were very polite and helped you with any
problems because the manager was always nearby. As most people going to this
Megamaxi did not care about the appearance of Megamaxi (because they help to
make it as dirty), it was difficult to maintain a clean store. We rated this store as
average as some of the cons from its appearance was compensated by the attentive
employees.

Then we went to Megamaxi from Mall del Sol. The appearance and
cleanliness of this store was slightly better but the customer service was not as good
as the previous Megamaxi. This Megamaxi was much larger and when asking for help
about a products location, employees seem to wander around simply putting their
products in place without helping at all lost customers. Long lines were found at the
cashier and almost none of the employees at the cashier tried to make a conversation
with the customer, they just passed the products, charged them and gave them their
change. While appearance may have been better, their decrease in their customer
service quality made us rate this Megamaxi between average and poor.

Finally we went to a Megamaxi fromVillage Plaza, which is considered a
high-class shopping mall. Just as the appearance, the customer service from any
employee was great and very satisfying. You couldve asked any employee about any
products location and they would gladly help. You could clearly notice the difference
from the other stores, as soon as you enter the place and saw the organization and
efficiency of the employees and their willingness of giving the best customer service
experience.

Mi Comisariato
Mi Comisariato is just as Megamaxi, being a retailer that is able to sell almost
everything. However, even with several shops around every corner of the city, Mi
Comisariato has the image of a low to middle class grocery store, being Megamaxi its
more refined competitor. Mi Comisariato stands out for their low prices and diverse
variety. As they are very similar, Megamaxi and mi Comisariato shared a lot of
characteristics between the three different stores evaluated. First, we went to a Mi
Comisariato South of the city (near McDonalds). The floors were dirty, the products
in the shelves were misplaced and overall the appearance was very poor. However,
just as Megamaxi, they seem to compensate this lack of maintenance with a satisfying
customer service with the employees at the cashier. While the good customer service
from Megamaxi made you overlook the unclean place, in Mi Comisariato not even
the greatest employees would make you overlook the bad state of the entire store
which is the reason we rated the place between poor and average.

Next we went to Mi Comisariato in Plazaquil from Kennedy, a middle class
neighborhood. We saw a cleaner and organized store but with very average
employees with no flexibility of helping you. Even if the store was so much cleaner,
employees that does not seem to care make you feel unsatisfied and uncomfortable of
being there. We rated the place as average because while some employees tried to
enable a conversation with you at the cashier to make you feel comfortable, others did
not even tried.

Finally we visited the Mi Comisariato from Riocentro Samborondon. While
with Megamaxi you knew the difference of entering to a store from Mall del Sur and
entering a store from Village Plaza, with Mi Comisariato it was different. Entering Mi
Comisariato of Riocentro did not feel as entering to a high-class store. The
appearance was just as same as Plazaquil but where you could notice a difference was
in the customer service. Employees all around the store were much more professional
and gave a very satisfying experience that made us rate the store as good.

Deprati
Deprati is not a grocery store as Megamaxi or Mi Comisariato but a retailer
store that sells from clothing to appliances for your home. Compared to the other
retailers evaluated before, the customer service of Deprati was just as pleasant in
every one of the stores we visited, from low class shopping malls in South of the city,
middle class shopping mall like Policentro and the latest shopping mall in
Samborondon (Plaza Navona). Besides the appearance of the place and the line of
products which varied through the different stores, employees from every store gave a
meaningful customer service experience and you could know they were trained
equally for every store. While in the lower class location you saw old furniture, or not
so good maintenance, the customer service and willingness of the employees at
helping you was overwhelming. We rated every Deprati between good and average
due to aesthetical differences because when it comes to the attention of their
employees, it was outstanding.

Specialty Stores:
Payless Shoes
Payless shoes is one of the few stores in Ecuador that offer a great diversity
for shoes at an affordable price. When you enter a shoe store you do not know for
sure which shoe youre getting because you dont know what they have or you do not
know even what type of shoe you want. Customer service is very necessary, as you
need help about what you are going to get and what fits you best. To start we visited
the Payless Shoes store in Mall del Sur which had a relatively large selection but in a
small place where customers where very crowded and even if the employees where
willing to help the customers, there were not enough employees to attend every
undecided customer. The reason of their average to poor customer service was not
because of the impoliteness of the employees as several other stores from Mall del
Sur but simply due to lack of staff. Besides this, the place was very uncomfortable,
shoes were found misplaced everywhere and the smell was too strong. Employees
may be very willing to help but the overall appearance of the store made us rate the
place as poor.

Then we went to a Payless Shoes store from Mall del Sol that was twice as big
ad with twice the staff. Just as in Mall del Sur, the employees gave their best to offer a
great and satisfying customer experience. However you could still saw
disorganization and poor maintenance of the store. Its great that employees are
helping customers in every demand they have but none of the employees focused on
keeping the store clean and presentable. This made us rate the store is average.

Finally we went to the Payless Shoes store found in Riocentro Samborondon.
This store was just as small as the one from Mall del Sur. Employees were now
equally attending undecided customers while keeping the store very clean and
presentable, possibly due to the fewer customers that went into the store. This store
proved how efficiency can help a stores image and that a store does not need to be
very big, just have the right employees who know their priorities. We rated this store
as good because of the importance they gave to both customers and the appearance of
the store.

Juan Marcet
Juan Marcet is a large office supply store found in several places around the
country. Its popularity have been in conflict with their main competitor Super Paco
which offers the same products at relatively the same price. Since Super Paco started,
both stores have competed with the customer service they offer. First we visited a
Juan Marcet store located at Riocentro Sur, which is a shopping mall for people with
low income located very far from the city. While this Juan Marcet store was not
small, there were many employees but only one cashier available while other where in
the isles of the store chatting while putting some product on the shelves. Even though
the store was clean, the signs about products locations were confusing and it took time
for people to find what they were looking for because no one helped them. From
outside you may think that Juan Marcet is a clean and organized store with helpful
employees but we rated this store between average and fair due to the inflexibility of
employees to help you find something instead of just answering if it isnt there, we
dont have it.

Next we visited a Juan Marcet Store located in the main avenue of Urdesa,
Victor Emilio Estrada. This is considered a middle class neighborhood. This store was
bigger than the one before and they have the same appearance of organized and clean.
However there was a mix of employees. Some employees knew a lot of the product
and you could ask them for the most specific product and they will accompany you to
the place where it is. Other employees like the ones at the cashier simply passed your
product and charge while they were talking from other employees from the nearby
cashiers. Rating this store as average was the most appropriate as there was a
balanced mix of employees giving good and bad customer service.

Finally we visited a Juan Marcet store from Riocentro Samborondon. Just as
every other store, everything was organized but aside from the previous Juan Marcet
stores, employees form here were much more professional and anyone was willing to
help you with any demand you had. The customer service was great and they knew so
much about their products that they were able to make several suggestions when a
customer could not decide between different brands of the same product. Due to the
satisfying customer service from this Juan Marcet, we rated it as good.

Fybeca
Fybeca is a pharmacy recognized as a store that does not only sell medicine
and health product but also convenience products and even home decorations. It is a
complete convenience store very popular in Ecuador with a great diversity of products
among all of their stores. The first store we visited was in Mall del Sur, and as a
convenience store it was located at the entrance/exit of the mall where everyone
entered for products more than medicine. The great amount of customers required
maintenance to keep the store clean but no employee succeeded at this. The store was
a mess and the process of paying for your medicine and then receiving was very poor
and disorganized. The poor customer service was shown at the moment of receiving
your medicine where f you asked a question about how to treat a flu or headache, they
knew about very little medicine to treat them and almost nothing about the rest they
had behind the counter. Overall, we rated this stores customer service as poor.

Next we went to a Fybeca store in San Marino, a shopping mall located in a
middle- class neighborhood called Kennedy. While there was an improvement in the
quality of convenience products and the maintenance of the store as it looked more
cleaned, the customer service was just the same. Even though the employees at the
cashier were very professional and polite, at the moment of taking your medicine, the
waiting time was too long and the process of looking for your medicine and giving it
to the customer was very disorganized. Due to the improvement in the appearance of
the store but not in the customer service experience, we gave the store an average
rating.

Finally we visited a Fybeca store in La Piazza of Samborondon, in front of
Bocca (previously mentioned place where we visited Naturisimo). In this store we
also had an improvement in the quality of convenience products. We could see that
the latest products were sent to high-class neighborhoods like Sambronodn while the
old products no one wants were given to other Fybeca stores. As the store was very
clean and organized, the process of paying for your medicine and getting was also
better. However, employees from this Fybeca also had trouble giving suggestions of
what medicine is better to treat certain headaches or flu. Even though it is better to
take advice from a doctor office, this employee should know what are the effects and
side effects of the medicine they are selling, which is the reason we rated the store as
good but not excellent.