Chapter 08 – Customer Service in a Diverse World
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Chapter 8
Customer Service in a Diverse World
Table of Contents
Teaching Tools …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2
Instructor Teaching Tools ……………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Student Learning Tools ………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Brief Chapter Outline …………………………..…………………………………………………………….. 3
Chapter Outline and Lecture Notes ……………………………………………………………………… 5
Class Activities and Sample Assignments …………………………………………………………… 23
Discussion Opportunities ………………………………………………………………………………….. 28
In the Real World Notes ……………………………………………………….………………………….. 29
Manufacturing—Johnson & Johnson. …………………………………………………………….. 29
Work It Out Notes ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 31
Work It Out 8.1—Encountering Diversity …………………………………………………………. 31
Work It Out 8.2—Identifying Resources …………………………………………………………… 31
Work It Out 8.3—Serving a Variety of Customers ……………………………………………… 31
End-of-Chapter Material Notes ………………………………………………………………………….. 32
Key Terms …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 32
Review Questions …………………………..……………………………………………………………. 33
Collaborative Learning Activity ……………………………………………………………………….. 35
Face to Face—Dealing with Difficult People on the Phone at MedMobile …………….. 35
Notes …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 37
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Teaching Tools
This book has several tools for both students and instructors to assist in the learning
and development on the topic of customer service. Those tools are listed below:
Instructor Teaching Tools
▪ Instructor’s Manual
▪ PowerPoint Presentations
▪ Asset Map
▪ Test Bank
▪ Customer Service Videos
▪ Sample Syllabi
Student Learning Tools
▪ Customer Service Interactions
▪ Customer Service Videos
▪ Chapter Objectives
▪ Flashcards
▪ Online Quizzes
▪ Practice Tests
▪ Glossary
▪ Spanish Glossary
▪ Worksheets
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Brief Chapter Outline
Learning Objectives
➢ 8-1: Recognize that diversity is not a bad thing.
➢ 8-2: Describe some of the characteristics that make people unique.
➢ 8-3: Embrace the need to treat customers as individuals.
➢ 8-4: Determine actions for dealing with various types of people.
➢ 8-5: Identify a variety of factors that make people diverse and that help to better
serve them.
➢ 8-6: Communicate effectively with a diverse customer population.
I. The Impact of Diversity
II. Defining Diversity
III. Customer Awareness
IV. The Impact of Cultural Values
A. Modesty
B. Expectations of Privacy
Impact on Service
C. Forms of Address
Impact on Service
D. Respect for Elders
Impact on Service
E. Importance of Relationships
Impact on Service
F. Gender Roles
Impact on Service
G. Attitude toward Conflict
Impact on Service
H. The Concept of Time
Impact on Service
I. Ownership of Property
Impact on Service
V. Providing Quality Service to Diverse Customer Groups
A. Customers with Language Differences
Let Your Customer Guide the Conversation
Be Flexible
Listen Patiently
Speak Clearly and Slowly
Speak at a Normal Volume and Tone
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Use Open-End Questions
Pause frequently
Use Standard English (or whatever the primary language is for the country in
which you are doing business)
Use Globally Understood References
Be Conscious of Nonverbal Cues
Paraphrase the Customer’s Message
Try Writing Your Message
Try a Different Language
Avoid Humor and Sarcasm
Look for Positive Options
Use Questions Carefully
Use a Step-by-Step Approach
Keep Your Message Brief
Check Frequently for Understanding
Keep Smiling
B. Customers with Disabilities
Customers with Hearing Disabilities
Customers with Vision Disabilities
Customers with Mobility or Motion Impairments
C. Elderly Customers
Be Respectful
Be Patient
Answer Questions
Try Not to Sound Patronizing
Remain Professional
Guard against Biases
D. Younger Customers
VI. Communicating with Diverse Customers
Be Careful with Your Remarks and Jokes
Make Sure That Your Language Is “Inclusive”
Respect Personal Preferences When Addressing People
Use General Terms
Recognize the Impact of Words
Use Care with Nonverbal Cues
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Chapter Outline and Lecture Notes
I. The Impact of Diversity
• Diversity refers to the characteristics, values, beliefs and factors that make
people different, yet similar.
• Diversity is encountered everywhere and is an important aspect of everyone’s
life.
• One significant impact that diversity has on customer service is that people from
varied backgrounds and cultures bring with them expectations based on the
“norm” of their country or group.
• Part of creating a positive diverse customer business environment is to train each
service provider on the nuances of dealing with people who have backgrounds
that are different from their own.
II. Defining Diversity
• The word diversity encompasses a broad range of differences.
• Many people only associate the term diversity with cultural diversity—the
different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic variety, based on factors such as
values, beliefs, and experiences, that are present in people grouped together in a
given situation, group, or organization.
• To better ensure service success, service providers should find out what
customers want and treat them as they want to be treated.
o This concept has been termed the Platinum Rule.
• Diversity is not a simple matter, yet it is not difficult to deal with.
o Service providers could start their journey to better understanding of
diversity by being fair to people and keeping an open mind when interacting
with them.
• Some factors that make people different are innate, that is, they are born with
them, such as height, weight, hair color, gender, etc.
o Other factors that make people unique are learned or gained through our
environment and our life experiences
▪ Examples of these factors include religion, values, beliefs, economic
level, lifestyle choices, etc.
III. Customer Awareness
• No two people are alike, no two generations are alike, and no two cultures are
alike.
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o In addition, each customer has needs based on his or her own perceptions
and situation.
• In today’s highly mobile, technologically connected world, it is not unusual to
encounter a wide variety of people with differing backgrounds, experiences,
religions, modes of dress, values, and beliefs within the course of a single day.
o Many of these factors can affect customer needs, wants, and expectations
and potentially create situations in which service providers must be alert to
the verbal and nonverbal messages that indicate those needs.
• By better understanding other cultures and contexts, service providers have a
prime opportunity for building a solid customer–provider relationship.
IV. The Impact of Cultural Values
• Although many cultures have similar values and beliefs, specific cultural values
are often taught to members of particular groups starting at a very young age.
o This does not mean that a particular group’s values and beliefs are better or
worse than those of any other culture; they are simply important to that
particular group.
• Values often dictate which behaviors and practices are acceptable or
unacceptable.
o They may or may not have a direct bearing on serving the customer, but
they can have a very powerful influence on what the customer wants,
needs, thinks is important and is willing to seek or accept.
• From a customer service perspective, values often strongly drive customer needs
and influence the buying decision.
• Values are based on the deeply held beliefs of a culture or subculture.
o These beliefs might be founded in religion, politics, or group mores.
A. Modesty
• Modesty refers to the way that cultures view propriety of dress and conduct.
• In some cultures (e.g., Muslim and Quaker), conservative dress by women is
one manifestation of modesty.
• Some cultures “cover up” more than others
• In other cultures, nonverbal communication cues send messages.
o For example, direct eye contact is viewed as an effective
communication approach in many Westernized cultures, and lack of eye
contact could suggest dishonesty or lack of confidence to a Westerner.
o Often a sense of modesty is instilled into people at an early age (more
so in females).
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▪ This value may be demonstrated by covering the mouth or part of
the face with an open hand when laughing or speaking, or
through avoiding direct eye contact in certain situations.
o Another way that service providers might offend someone’s modesty is
through their environment.
▪ For example, if a service provider has a waiting room that has
magazines that show scantily clad models or a television or radio
station broadcasting for customers that contains sexual situations
or racy talk show hosts, the service providers should rethink the
situation to potentially avoid offense to some customers may be
inappropriate.
Impact on Service
• When encountering examples of modest behavior, service providers
should evaluate the situation for the true message being delivered.
• The person may really be exhibiting suspicious behavior.
o However, instead of assuming that the customer is being evasive or
dishonest, service providers should consider the possible impact of
culture as part of their assessment of the situation.
B. Expectations of Privacy
• Based on one’s personality and prior life experiences, one may be more or
less likely to disclose personal information, especially to people one does not
know well.
• Disclosing personal information about oneself is often a cultural factor and
that expectations of privacy—the belief that personal information provided
to an organization will be safeguarded against inappropriate or unauthorized
use or dissemination—vary.
Impact on Service
• If service providers tend to be gregarious and speak freely about virtually
any topic, they should curtail this tendency in the customer service
environment.
o Failure to do so could make some customers feel uneasy and
uncomfortable.
o Their discomfort may result from the fact that if the service provider
is conducting business in a Western culture, when someone asks a
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question or shares information, there is often an expectation that
the other party will reciprocate.
• A good rule of thumb is to stay focused on the business of serving the
customers in an expeditious and professional manner.
• Service providers should keep “small talk” under control and watch
customer reactions closely.
o They should avoid controversial topics that might be emotional hot
buttons or sensitive to other people (e.g., politics, religion, etc.).
C. Forms of Address
• If the service provider is from the United States and fails to greet the
customer appropriately (e.g., with a slight bow, sign of the wai, namaste, or
other traditional greeting) or called customers from a more formal culture by
their first name without their permission, the service provider might possibly
irritate or anger them.
• When meeting someone from another culture who has not been
acculturated into one’s own, service providers might greet the customer
according to his or her cultural background.
• To further confuse the issue of how to address a customer, some cultures
have differing rules on how family names are listed and used.
• For example, when addressing someone from the Chinese culture, service
providers should use an appropriate title such as Mr. or Mrs. followed by the
family name (Mrs. Li) unless they are asked to use a different form of
address.
• Many service providers from other cultures who move to a Westernized
culture often adopt a Western first name (e.g., Amanda or Richard) when
they immigrate to, or work with, people from that culture.
o This makes it easier for their customers and co-workers to pronounce
their names.
• In Argentina (and most Hispanic, Chicano, and Latino cultures), people
have two surnames—one from their father (listed first) and one from their
mother (e.g., Jose Ricardo Gutierrez (father’s surname) Martinez (mother’s
surname).
o Usually when addressing the person, service providers should use a
title only with the father’s surname (e.g., Mr. or Mrs. Gutierrez).
Impact on Service
• A customer’s preference for a particular name or form of address can
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have an impact upon service providers’ ability to effectively deal with him
or her.
• Informality or improper use of family names could send a message of
lack of knowledge or concern for the customer as an individual or as
being important.
D. Respect for Elders
• In most cultures, some level of respect is paid to older people.
o Often this respect for elders is focused more on males (when older
men are viewed as revered, as among Chinese).
• This arises from a belief that with age come knowledge, experience, wisdom,
authority, and, often, higher status.
Impact on Service
• Service providers must be careful to pay appropriate respect when
speaking to older customers (of both sexes).
o Further, they should be sensitive to the fact that if the customer
demands to speak to a senior person or to the manager or owner,
he or she may simply be exhibiting a customary expectation for his
or her culture or generation.
E. Importance of Relationships
• In many Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern cultures, the building of a
strong interpersonal relationship is extremely important before business is
conducted.
o For example, in China, Egypt, El Salvador, Indonesia, and Korea, it is
not unusual to have a number of meetings with people in an
organization before coming to an agreement.
o Lunch, dinner, and office meetings may occur for weeks before an
agreement is reached.
Impact on Service
• Failure to establish support or an environment of trust could lead to a
breakdown in service and/or lost customers.
o This does not mean that service providers should hesitate to
assume a quicker familiarity with customers from such cultures.
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• When service providers have an ongoing contact or do repeat business,
they should follow the customers’ lead.
• Service providers should familiarize themselves with cultural manners
and etiquette for the customer’s country before meeting in order to avoid
cultural taboos.
F. Gender Roles
• Although gender roles are continually evolving throughout the world,
decision making and authority are often clearly established as male
prerogatives within many cultures, subcultures, or families.
o For example, in many Middle Eastern, Asian, South American, and
European countries, women have not gained the respect or creditability
in the business environment that they have achieved in many parts of
North America.
• In some countries it is not unusual for women to be expected to take a “seen
and not heard” role or to remain out of business transactions.
o Service providers do not have to agree with these practices, but they
will need to take them into consideration when facing them in some
customer encounters.
• When serving customers from different countries, service providers would do
well to remember that people may leave a country, but they take their cultural
norms and values with them.
Impact on service
• Generally, people who have lived or worked in Western cultures for
longer periods will acculturate and not take offense to more direct
behaviors that are meant to convey friendliness and to engage
customers (e.g., smiling, engaging in small talk about families, etc.).
G. Attitude toward Conflict
• Conflict is possible when two people come together in a customer
environment, but it does not have to happen.
o By recognizing one’s biases and preferences, and being familiar with
other cultures, service providers can reduce the potential for
disagreement.
• Many times, attitudes—emotional responses to people, ideas, and objects—
toward conflict are rooted in the individual’s culture or subculture and based
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on behavioral style preference.
• Some cultures are individualistic cultures (emphasis is placed on the
individual’s goals), and some are collective cultures (individuals are viewed
as part of a group).
o Members of individualistic cultures are likely to take a direct approach to
conflict, whereas people whose culture is collective may address
conflict indirectly, using an informal mediator in an effort to prevent loss
of face or embarrassment for those involved.
• Regardless of culture or group, people choose different conflict resolution
styles based on personality style preferences.
Impact on Service
• Depending on the individuals one encounters and their cultural
background, service providers and their customers may deal differently
with conflict.
• The key is to listen and remain calm, especially if the customer becomes
agitated.
H. The Concept of Time
• In relation to time, people and societies are often referred to as being either
monochronic or polychronic.
o People from monochronic societies tend to do one thing at a time, take
time commitments seriously, are often focused on short-term projects or
relationships, and adhere closely to plans.
o Polychronic people are used to distractions, juggle multiple things
without feeling stressed, consider time as a guide and flexible
commodity, work toward long-term deadlines, and base promptness on
relationships.
• People from the United States are typically very time-conscious
(monochronic).
• Figure 8.2 lists countries according to their concept of time—term used to
describe how certain societies view time as either polychromic of
monochromic.
.
Impact on service
• In Western and other monochronic cultures, service providers are
expected to be punctual.
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o They must observe time rules in order to project an appropriate
image and to satisfy the needs of their customers and organization.
I. Ownership of Property
• In many cultures, ownership of property, or accumulation of worldly goods
or wealth, is frowned upon.
Impact on Service
• People have differing levels of needs.
• Service providers should ask customers what their needs are and listen
to their responses.
V. Providing Quality Service to Diverse Customer Groups
• Given the potential diversity of one’s customer base, it may be impossible to
establish a service strategy for each group.
o However, service providers should think of what they might do to address
the needs of some of the larger categories of customers with whom they will
probably come into contact.
A. Customers with Language Differences
• One major obstacle for service providers in the United States is that many
adults believe that most of the world’s population speaks English.
o In actuality, English is the third most spoken language behind Mandarin
Chinese and Spanish.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics figures estimate that over 25 million (16.1 percent)
of the U.S. workforce are foreign-born people.
• The key to effectively serving all customers, and particularly people from
different cultures, is flexibility.
o For example, service providers might identify people in their
organization who speak languages other than English so that they can
call upon them, if necessary.
Let Your Customer Guide the Conversation
• When possible, service providers should let their customer take the lead
in guiding the service interaction.
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• Some customers may want to spend time getting to know the service
provider, others may take a rigid or formal approach and get right down
to business by taking the lead, and still others may choose to have
someone else act as a mediator or an intermediary.
Be Flexible
• Communicating with people from other cultures who do not speak a
common language fluently can be frustrating and complicated.
o Even if service providers do not understand the customers’ culture
or language, using positive listening, nonverbal, and verbal
techniques can help.
• Part of being flexible is recognizing that one’s own views are not the way
of the world.
o Making the mistake of believing that everyone has the same
experiences and sees things the way one does can lead to
communication and relationship breakdown.
Listen Patiently
• Service providers should focus on what the customer is saying and try to
understand the meaning of the message and the needs being
communicated by the customer.
Speak Clearly and Slowly
• The key to successful customer service is to speak at a rate slow enough
to allow one’s customers to understand oneself without being insulting.
Speak at a Normal Volume and Tone
• A customer who is unable to speak a service provider’s language is not
necessarily deaf.
• A service provider may naturally raise his or her voice, if a customer
cannot speak his or her language, but if he or she does, the customer
may become offended or think that the service provider is hard of hearing
and raise his or her voice also.
o This is not an effective way to communicate or provide effective
customer service.
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Use Open-End Questions
• Open-end questions encourage customers to share information.
o On the other hand, closed-end questions do not allow service
providers to accurately gauge a customer’s viewpoint or
understanding.
Pause Frequently
• Pausing allows customers to translate what service providers have said
into their language, comprehend, and then respond in service providers’
language or ask questions.
Use Standard English (or whatever the primary language is for the country
in which you are doing business)
• Avoid technical terms specific to a product, organization, process, or
industry; contractions; slang; or broken language.
• It is helpful to recognize that some people understand a language though
they may not be able to speak it well.
Use Globally Understood References
• To reduce the risk of misunderstandings by people who speak one’s
language as a second language, one should stick with basic verbiage.
• Service providers should avoid jokes, words, or acronyms that are
uniquely tied to sports, historical events, or their culture.
Be Conscious of Nonverbal Cues
• Service providers should continually monitor nonverbal reactions as they
converse with a customer.
o If they sense confusion or lack of comprehension, they should stop
and try to re-establish a bond.
Paraphrase the Customer’s Message
• After focusing on what one thinks is the customer’s message, service
providers may convey their understanding to the customer in their own
words.
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• When service providers think that they don’t understand, they should
either paraphrase the part of the customer’s message up to the point at
which they did understand or ask clarifying questions.
Try Writing Your Message
• If a customer seems to be having trouble understanding what a service
provider is saying, the service provider should try printing his or her
message (legibly) to see if the customer can understand his or her
meaning.
• Service providers might even try using recognizable symbols, if
appropriate.
Try a Different Language
• If service providers speak a second language, they should try using it.
o Their non-native-language-speaking customers may understand,
since many countries require students to learn multiple languages in
school.
Avoid Humor and Sarcasm
• Humor and sarcasm are common to many Westerners but do not work
well with customers whose first language is not English.
o They could lead to customer confusion and embarrassment.
Look for Positive Options
• Many North Americans tend to use an abrupt no in response to a request
they cannot fulfill.
o This behavior is viewed as rude, arrogant, and closed-minded in
many cultures.
• In many cases, the response no in a conversation may cause a person
embarrassment or loss of face (the esteem of others).
Use Questions Carefully
• Service providers should watch their customer’s nonverbal responses so
that they will be able to gauge the customer’s reactions to their
questions.
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• In some cultures, people believe that questioning someone is intrusive,
and they therefore avoid it.
Use a Step-by-Step Approach
• When explaining something, service providers should outline exactly
what they will do or what will be expected of the customer.
o Service providers should write this information down for the
customer’s future reference in order to prevent misunderstandings.
Keep Your Message Brief
• Service providers should avoid lengthy explanations or details that might
frustrate or confuse their customer.
o They should use simple one-syllable words and short sentences.
Check Frequently for Understanding
• In addition to using short words and sentences, service providers should
pause often to verify the customer’s understanding of their message
before continuing.
• Service providers should avoid questions such as “Do you understand?”
o Not only can this be answered with a “yes” or “no,” but it can also
offend someone who speaks and understands English reasonably
well.
Keep Smiling
• Smiling is a universal language; service providers should speak it fluently
(when appropriate).
B. Customers with Disabilities
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in five Americans or 56.7 million
has some type of disability, with more than half that number having a serious
disability.
• Service providers will certainly encounter someone in the workplace who has
a disability and that may require their assistance in serving him or her.
• Some service professionals are uncomfortable working with customers with
disabilities.
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• Even though service providers may be unfamiliar with how people with
disabilities adapt to life experiences, they should strive to provide excellent
service to them.
• To be effective in dealing with customers in the United States, service
providers must be aware of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(ADA), the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and other legislation passed by
Congress to protect individuals and groups.
Customers with Hearing Disabilities
• Hearing loss is common as people age or because of a medical condition
and can be a real challenge in service environments.
• In interactions with customers who have hearing disabilities, service
providers can do a variety of things to provide effective service:
o Face the customer directly when speaking.
o Speak louder.
o Provide written information and instructions where appropriate and
possible.
o Use pictures, objects, diagrams, or other such items to
communicate more clearly, if appropriate.
o To get the person’s attention, use nonverbal cues such as
gesturing.
• If service providers serve customers over the telephone or Internet, they
may find themselves interacting with a Telecommunications Relay
Service (TRS), also called relay service, relay operator, and IP-relay.
o Through such services, specially trained operators act as
intermediaries between people who are deaf, hard–of-hearing,
speech disabled, or deaf and blind and standard telephone users.
• Real-Time IM Relay for Customers with Hearing and Speech Loss
services are now available to assist people with hearing loss.
• Relay service—Operators act as a go-between for people who are deaf,
speech-disabled or deaf and blind.
o The relatively new technology has virtually replaced the previous
relay services [telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or
telephone typewriter (TTY)].
Customers with Vision Disabilities
• Many people experience vision loss because of medical conditions or as
a result of the aging process.
Chapter 08 – Customer Service in a Diverse World
• Customers with vision disabilities may need special assistance, but
they are not helpless.
• The following are some strategies that service providers can use to
potentially improve the quality and level of service:
o Talk to a visually impaired person the same way they would talk to
anyone else.
o They do not have to raise their voice; the person is visually
impaired, not hard of hearing.
o They should not feel embarrassed or change their vocabulary.
o They should speak directly to the customer.
o They should speak to the person as he or she enters the room or
approach the person so that he or she knows where they are.
Customers with Mobility or Motion Impairments
• The term “mobility impairment” typically refers to disabilities that impact
someone’s ability to move without assistance, manipulate objects, and
interact with the physical world.
• Customers who have mobility or motion impairments often use
specially designed equipment; had extensive training in how to best use
assistive devices to compensate for the loss of the use of some part of
their body.
• The following are some strategies for better serving customers with
mobility or motion impairments:
o Prior to a situation in which one may have to accommodate
someone who uses a walker, wheelchair, crutches, or other device,
one should do an environmental survey of the workplace.
▪ One should note areas where space is inadequate to permit
mobility or where hazards exist.
o One should not assume that someone who has such an impairment
cannot perform certain tasks.
o One should make sure that one places information or materials at a
level that makes it possible for the person to see without undue
strain.
o One should not push or lean on someone’s wheelchair without his
or her permission.
C. Elderly Customers
• Being older does not make a person or a customer less valuable.