Ethics of Customer Service

Name: Ethics of Customer Service
Author: KnowledgeCity

Ethics form the basis for our interactions with people on a daily basis. In this course, you’ll learn how to define ethics and ethical standards in the context…

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Course: On-Demand

Let's go over the basics of ethics. Here we will define ethics and ethical standards and provide you with examples of how ethics can impact your workplace. To put it simply, ethics and customer service is about being able to identify the right and wrong paths to take when dealing with a customer, it involves choosing the path that benefits the customer. Before we delve into the details of customer service ethics, let's consider why you should care about this topic. Being ethical when providing customer service can be of great benefit to both you and your organization. To begin with, customers are paying close attention to how an organization acts. Often, this starts with their interactions with employees who work for the organization. Customer service representatives are often the first people within an organization that a customer will have direct contact with and this plays a large role in establishing expectations. Acting ethically when dealing with customers can lead to a positive reputation and everyone involved can reap its benefits. A good reputation can lead to more sales for you personally, and for your organization. Think about it, if you knew an organization or even a particular salesperson had a reputation for acting unethically, would you buy from them? Probably not. Organizations and customer service representatives who act ethically can also increase customer loyalty, this can be a direct result of a good reputation. These days, customers want to know how an organization acts before buying from them. If an organization or an employee acts unethically, customers could very easily take their business elsewhere. Acting ethically not only helps your organization improve sales and have better relationships with customers, it also has a positive impact on employees. Ethical behavior creates a better workplace culture. You and your coworkers may increase your productivity and teamwork when you act ethically, this stems from the respect you have for each other. Ultimately, acting ethically when interacting with customers can be the thing that differentiates you from your competitors.

Beginner Provider : KnowledgeCity 5 Lessons · 12m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

Ethics form the basis for our interactions with people on a daily basis. In this course, you’ll learn how to define ethics and ethical standards in the context of customer service. This knowledge can help you evaluate your workforce and determine the most ethically appropriate approach to take when dealing with a customer in order to improve customer service practices and deliver benefits throughout your organization.

Customers are always paying close attention to how organizations treat them in their mutual interactions. It’s the most important factor in determining whether those customers are satisfied, will become repeat customers, and will recommend your organization to others. As the first point of contact is often with an organization’s employees, this first interaction is critical to set expectations, establish the highest ethical standards, and foster a productive relationship that can benefit everyone in the organization as well as the customer.

Learning Objectives

What You'll Learn

Define ethics and ethical standards in the context of customer service
Identify your personal ethical standards
Distinguish between ethical standards and organizational policies
Explore the moral foundations theory
Convert ethics into action to improve customer service practices
Recognize the benefits of ethical customer service across an organization

Key Takeaways

Ethics form the basis for our daily interactions with people, including in customer service.
How an organization treats customers is the most important factor in whether they are satisfied, become repeat customers, and recommend the organization to others.
Because the first point of contact is often with an organization's employees, that initial interaction is critical to setting expectations and establishing high ethical standards.
Understanding ethics helps you evaluate your workforce and determine the most ethically appropriate approach when dealing with a customer.
Ethical standards are distinct from organizational policies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn in this course?

You will learn how to define ethics and ethical standards in the context of customer service, identify your personal ethical standards, understand the difference between ethical standards and organizational policies, explore the moral foundations theory, and convert ethics into action.

Why does ethical customer service matter?

Customers always pay close attention to how organizations treat them, and this treatment is the most important factor in determining whether they are satisfied, become repeat customers, and recommend the organization to others. Establishing high ethical standards at the first point of contact fosters a productive relationship that benefits the organization and the customer.

What topics or lessons does the course cover?

The course covers the Benefits of Ethical Customer Service, Ethical Standards, Organizational Policies, Develop Your Ethics, and Putting Ethics into Action.

How can this knowledge be applied in an organization?

The knowledge can help you evaluate your workforce and determine the most ethically appropriate approach to take when dealing with a customer, in order to improve customer service practices and deliver benefits throughout your organization.