Assignment 1: Formal Report

Length: 2500 words

Marks: 20 (weighting: 20% of course)

Due date: 22 August 2014

Course objectives

This assignment will address the following course objectives in whole or in part:

1. develop an understanding of the process of workplace communication and demonstrate active listening techniques.
2. demonstrate a high level of business writing skills in a variety of contexts.
3. demonstrate non-sexist and non-discriminatory language and effective communication in the business environment.

Assignment scenario

You are the principal of Communication Excellence, a consultancy specialising in providing business executives with advice on improving their organisation’s communication skills. TelCell, a telephony company, has engaged you to develop a report to improve communication effectiveness supporting their fledgling Customer Relations Management (CRM) program.

As a starting point, you have been asked to identify how to break down communication barriers. From discussions with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TelCell, Ms Anjali Stone, you determine that there are several elements, which need to be addressed:

• active listening to reduce communication barriers;
• negotiation techniques which could be used to assist effective customer complaint resolution; and
•  customer dissatisfaction (which has been increasing, in the company’s showrooms, call centres and online customer service).

After an initial investigation, your analysis reveals that staff on the front-line of customer contact requires professional development to assist them in closing the gap that exists between TelCel’s previous approach to customer service and CRM in resolving customer grievances for the mutual benefit of the customer and the organisation.

Your report will discuss these topics and make recommendations to assist TelCel to improve its CRM through more effective staff communication, negotiation and complaint resolution skills.

Tasks

Prepare a formal report which:

• Explains CRM and the skills and techniques associated with it, specifically, active listening, negotiation, and dealing with customer complaints.
• Makes recommendations on how TelCell can improve CRM.

Note: You are able to embellish the above scenario by adding any contextual details you may require to support your report.

MGT1200 Assignment 1 marking sheet

Student name: _____________________________________________________________

Student number: ____________________________________________

Additional comments: