Course description
This course is designed to provide students who experience barriers to education and employment with hands-on training in customer service. The focus of the course is on foundational customer service skills needed to obtain employment in a variety of workplaces, such as retail stores, restaurants, coffee shops, and more.
Course content
Topics to be explored include:
- Customer-service relations skills
- Effective communication utilizing assertiveness, active listening, paraphrasing, asking questions and awareness of nonverbal communication
- Conflict resolution strategies
- Handling customer questions and concerns
- Accepting Shopify payments
Means of assessment
Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a mastery-graded course.
Typical means of evaluation would include a combination of:
- Mid-point and final self-assessments
- Demonstration of skills
- Regular attendance and participation in class activities
Instructors may use a student's record of attendance and/or level of active participation as part of the student's graded performance. Expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the instructor’s course outline/syllabus.
Learning outcomes
At the conclusion of the course, a successful student will be able to:
- Develop and demonstrate teamwork and collaboration skills.
- Evaluate personal skills and abilities, work skills, habits and performance.
- Measure personal compatibility with type of work chosen.
- Use confidence and self-esteem-building skills to improve employability.
- Identify work and personal values.
- Apply hygiene and grooming principles to maintain a professional appearance.
- Apply professional workplace attitudes and habits.
- Demonstrate presentation skills.
- Exhibit effective communication exchanges in the retail workplace and in an educational setting.
- Identify and apply conflict-resolution techniques.
- Identify acceptance communication for both public and private situations.
- Adhere to workplace confidentiality policies.
- Exhibit positive customer-service practices.
- Interact in a professional manner.
Textbook materials
Relevant material will be provided throughout the course.