Customer Services, Pre-Sales and After-Sales Services for SS 3

Class: SS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 9
Age: 17 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: Salesmanship
Previous Lesson: Meaning, Importance and Media of Public Relations
Topic: PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CUSTOMER SERVICES
Subject Matter: Meaning of customer services; Pre-sales services; After sales services

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Define customer services.
• Identify various pre-sales services.
• Explain the importance of pre-sales services.
• List different after-sales services.
• Differentiate between pre-sales and after-sales services.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the role of customer services in business success.
• Recognise the importance of providing excellent pre-sales and after-sales support.

Psychomotor Domain

• Discuss the impact of pre-sales and after-sales services on sales.
• Present examples of pre-sales and after-sales services.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable Salesmanship textbook for SS 3
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Whiteboard or chalkboard
• Markers or chalk
• Charts illustrating customer service processes
• Textbooks on Salesmanship
• Case studies or scenarios of good and bad customer service

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because customer service is a fundamental aspect of successful sales and business operations. Understanding pre-sales and after-sales services equips students with knowledge crucial for building customer loyalty and ensuring repeat business. It highlights how effective service delivery contributes significantly to a company’s reputation and profitability.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of sales processes, customer interaction, and the general concept of business transactions.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CUSTOMER SERVICES

Meaning of Customer Services

Customer service refers to the assistance and advice provided by a company to those who buy or use its products or services. It is the support provided to customers before, during, and after purchasing a product or service. The goal of customer service is to ensure customer satisfaction and build long-term relationships.

Pre-Sales Services

Pre-sales services are all the activities undertaken by a business to assist potential customers before they make a purchase. These services aim to inform, persuade, and prepare the customer for a successful buying experience.

Examples of Pre-Sales Services include:

1. Product Demonstrations: Showing how a product works, especially for complex items like electronics or machinery.
2. Consultation and Advice: Providing expert guidance to help customers choose the right product or service that meets their specific needs.
3. Information Provision: Offering detailed brochures, specifications, price lists, and answering questions about products or services.
4. Free Trials or Samples: Allowing customers to experience a product or service for a limited period or providing small samples to try before buying.
5. Customisation Options: Discussing how a product can be tailored to the customer’s unique requirements.
6. Quotation and Proposal Preparation: Providing detailed cost estimates and business proposals.
7. Showroom Visits: Allowing customers to physically inspect products in a comfortable environment.

After-Sales Services

After-sales services are the support and assistance provided to customers after they have purchased a product or service. These services are crucial for ensuring customer satisfaction, building loyalty, and maintaining a positive brand image.

Examples of After-Sales Services include:

1. Installation and Setup: Assisting customers with the proper installation and initial setup of products, especially for appliances or software.
2. Warranty and Guarantees: Offering repair or replacement of products within a specified period if they develop faults.
3. Maintenance and Repair Services: Providing regular servicing, troubleshooting, and repair for products after purchase.
4. Customer Support/Help Desk: Offering channels like phone, email, or chat for customers to get assistance with product usage, issues, or queries.
5. Returns and Exchanges: Allowing customers to return or exchange products if they are not satisfied or if there is a defect.
6. Training and User Manuals: Providing instructions or training on how to effectively use the purchased product or service.
7. Feedback Collection: Soliciting customer opinions to improve products and services.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Group Work, Demonstration, Presentation.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them to recall what they understand by ‘sales’ and ‘customer’. The teacher then introduces the topic: “PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CUSTOMER SERVICES”, highlighting that today’s focus is on customer services.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the questions and listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Sales and customer recall

Step 2: Meaning of Customer Services

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of customer services, emphasising its role in customer satisfaction and loyalty. The teacher provides simple examples of customer service interactions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions for clarification, and contribute their understanding of customer service.

Learning Point: Customer service definition

Step 3: Discussion on Pre-Sales Services

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Group Facilitation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what pre-sales services are and divides the students into two groups. One group is tasked with discussing various pre-sales services and their potential effects on sales.

Pupils’ Activity: Students form groups and discuss different types of pre-sales services, brainstorming examples and their impact on customer purchasing decisions.

Learning Point: Pre-sales service concepts

Step 4: Examples of Pre-Sales Services

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Elaboration/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher invites a representative from the first group to present their findings on pre-sales services. The teacher then elaborates on key examples like product demonstrations, consultations, and free trials, explaining how each contributes to sales.

Pupils’ Activity: The group representative presents, and other pupils listen and ask questions. Pupils note down the examples discussed.

Learning Point: Pre-sales service examples

Step 5: Discussion on After-Sales Services

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Group Facilitation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what after-sales services are and instructs the second group to discuss various after-sales services and their effects on customer retention and future sales.

Pupils’ Activity: The second group discusses different types of after-sales services, considering their importance for customer loyalty and repeat business.

Learning Point: After-sales service concepts

Step 6: Examples of After-Sales Services

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Elaboration/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher invites a representative from the second group to present their findings on after-sales services. The teacher then provides further examples such as warranty, installation, and customer support, explaining their significance.

Pupils’ Activity: The group representative presents, and other pupils listen and ask questions. Pupils note down the examples discussed.

Learning Point: After-sales service examples

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is customer service?
2. Give two examples of pre-sales services.
3. Mention two examples of after-sales services.
4. How do pre-sales services affect sales?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding service types

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on customer services, pre-sales, and after-sales services into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarisation/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the key points of the lesson, reiterating that both pre-sales and after-sales services are vital for attracting new customers, retaining existing ones, and ensuring overall business success. The teacher encourages students to always consider the customer’s experience.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Service importance consolidation

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook.

1. Identify a local business and describe one pre-sales service and one after-sales service they offer.
2. Explain how excellent after-sales service can lead to customer loyalty.
3. Differentiate between pre-sales services and after-sales services using practical examples.

Lesson Keywords

• Customer Service – Assistance and advice provided to customers.
• Pre-sales Services – Activities before a purchase to assist potential customers.
• After-sales Services – Support provided to customers after a purchase.
• Customer Loyalty – The likelihood of a customer to continue buying from a particular brand.
• Product Demonstration – Showing how a product works.
• Warranty – A guarantee given to the purchaser of an item by the manufacturer.

Differentiation

For students who may struggle, the teacher can provide simpler real-life scenarios and guide them through identifying the services. Advanced learners can be challenged to research and present on the impact of poor customer service on business reputation and sales, or to propose innovative customer service strategies for a specific industry.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, students can search on YouTube for: customer service pre-sales after-sales salesmanship