Elements and Performance Criteria

Customers may include:
those from a range of cultural customs/backgrounds
workmates/colleagues
theatre/cinema/event patrons
outside contractors
venue hirers
event organisers

Situations and contexts where customer service is provided may include:
in an office
back-of-house
front-of-house
reception area

Non-verbal communication may include:
body language
dress and accessories
gestures and mannerisms
voice tonality and volume
use of space
culturally specific communication customs and practices

Organisational guidelines may include:
modes of greeting and farewelling
addressing the person by name
time-lapse before a response

Personal presentation may include:
dress
use of uniform
use of safety items
hair and grooming
hands and nails
jewellery

Customers with special needs may include:
those with a disability
those with special or cultural needs
first-time patrons
parents with young children
unaccompanied children
aged people
school groups
infants
pregnant women
VIPs
Groups

Customers with special needs may require:
wheelchair access
hearing assistance
translation assistance
special seating

Oral communications tasks include:
responding to instructions
speaking clearly to be understood and listening carefully to understand
asking questions to gain information, clarify ambiguities and adequately understand requirements
asking the right questions to elicit customer special needs
rephrasing and repeating questions, requests and statements to confirm they have been correctly understood
empathising with the customer situation while upholding venue or hirer policy
providing information accurately in plain English with sensitivity to the needs of people from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds and people with intellectual or physical disabilities
negotiating outcomes where points of view differ

Underpinning skills and knowledge

Assessment must include evidence of the following knowledge and skills:

effective communication techniques in relation to listening, questioning and non-verbal communication
needs and expectations of different types of customers
potential special needs of customers in a given industry context
techniques for identifying and dealing with conflict situations and misunderstandings
importance of cultural awareness to customer service situations
ethics of professional behaviour in a given industry context

Linkages to other units
This unit underpins effective performance in many other units. It is strongly recommended that it be assessed/trained in conjunction with other relevant operational and service units.

This unit has particular linkages to the following units, and combined assessment and/or training is recommended:

CUECOR02B Work with others
CUECOR04A Deal with conflict and resolve complaints

Critical aspects of evidence

The following evidence is critical to the judgement of competence in this unit:

understanding of communication and customer service and its importance in the context of the cultural industries
ability to communicate effectively with customers, including those with special needs, within the range of situations required for the relevant job role
ability to respond effectively to a range of different customer service situations

Method and context of assessment

The assessment context must provide for:

practical demonstration of communication skills through interaction with others
project or work activities that allow the candidate to respond to multiple and varying customer service and communication situations relevant to the job role

Assessment may incorporate a range of methods to assess practical skills and the application of essential underpinning knowledge, and might include:

direct observation of the candidate carrying out work tasks involving dealing with customers
role plays about communication situations and dealing with conflicts and misunderstandings
oral or written questioning about effective communication and personal presentation
review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular groups (eg people with disabilities, and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling).

Resource requirements

Assessment of this unit requires access to:

typical organisational customer service policies and procedures

Communicating ideas and information
Using effective questioning (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Providing service advice to customers (2)

Planning and organising activities
Identifying service priorities (1)

Working with others and in teams
Sharing knowledge with other service staff (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
- (0)

Solving problems
Responding to complaints (1)

Using technology
- (0)