Prepare a full sentence outline for research paper about customer service. The outline should include a cover page and list of references. The outline should be a minimum of two double-spaced pages (n

Running head: OUTLINE FOR RESEARCH PAPER 0

Outline for Research Paper

EXAMPLE

BUSN501- Critical Thinking and Digital Literacy

American Public University

Dr. Wallace Burns

Month 01, 2021

Outline for Research Paper

I. Introduction and Thesis

When you hear good customer service what comes to your mind? Positive attitudes and a smile on the employee's face comes to mind. No matter the case or situation, the sole purpose of customer service is to ensure customers are happy and willing to return. Today, with the pandemic and advancements in technology, in person customer service is not the sole determinant of good customer service. As companies compete to remain up to date with various systems utilizing technology, their customer service factors shift. A company's ability to produce a healthy environment, the utilization of technology, and the timeliness of service plays a significant role in customer service today.

II. Topic #1: The companies must provide policies and standards that every employee understands and abides by.

A. The importance of having known standards of business can be supported by author Kate Taylor (2019), asserting that customers agree “especially in today's very complex world, it's just very nice to be able to go to a place where you feel appreciated” for example, at Chick-Fil-A.

1. When a company does not have policies to abide by or are not held accountable for producing a standard, employees can not identify a manager's expectations. Without clear expectations from the manager, the customers will not receive a standardized way of customer service from all employees.

2. When a company puts emphasis on their customer service expectations, customers are given the opportunity to know what they are getting into. As a result of customer satisfaction being affected by unclear expectations, customers will take their business to a company more invested in their customer service expectations.

III. Topic #2: The company must establish and utilize technology in order to enhance the quality of service provided to customers.

A. The use of technology by companies can be described as an integrated approach across the entire retail activity that offers a clear response to the customer experience across all available shopping platforms, including mobile internet devices, computers, in-store, etc. (Saghiri et al. 2017).

1. When a company utilizes technology, such as an application (more commonly known as an "app"), they provide services such as COVID-19 friendly services. The app allows customers to order in their preferred environment and remain in their vehicle as an employee receives and transports their order to them. Customers are not required to leave their vehicle in order to receive their meal.

2. The assistance of technology also provides the customers predictability on their order. Customers receive an estimated completion time of their order as well as a visual of their order transporting from the store to their house. Today, with so many moving parts going on, predictability enhances customer service significantly.

IV. Topic #3: The company must ensure that the service they are providing to customers is conducted in a timely manner.

A. Evidence supported by Beckwith (2017), declares that in the past, customers did not mind waiting for services. However, today, “consumers are looking for the immediate delivery option. This is especially true with millennials, who have grown up ordering on phones. They

expect speed” (p. 44).

1. When a company provides customers quick service, it allows them to not only receive their order in a timely manner, but it meets customers expectations. What makes Chick-Fil-A customers satisfied with the service they receive is not only the respectful attitudes instilled in the employee's. The quick service offered by the company brings customers back to return over companies who move slower.

2. Customers can now place an order within seconds and minutes on their cellular devices. Every minute is valued today as the world is catching up on work from being shut down due to COVID-19 mandatory closures. As time is limited and it is an available option to order by phone, service that considers the time spent waiting by customers will reflect with customer satisfaction.

V. Conclusion

In the future, as the world continues to evolve, so will the quality of customer service companies offer to people. The implementation of policies and standards will always be a blueprint of successful customer service. The use of a handbook in order for the managers to layout their expectations is extra work, however, it not only shows customers the company is invested in them, but employees as well. Companies across the world are also utilizing technology to enhance the service given to customers. If a company does not utilize technology, they will fall behind other companies and customers will benefit from the companies using it more than the ones who are not. Finally, predictability in customer service is a direct relationship to customer satisfaction. With the use of technology, customers can place orders within minutes, view their order progress as it is put together, as well as track the location from start to finish. Customer service has evolved and will continue to evolve as time goes by.

Beckwith, S. (2017), “The Amazon effect: No longer a phantom menace”, Logistics

Management, Vol. 37 No. 11, p. 44.

Saghiri, S. Wilding, R., Mena, C., and Bourlakis, M. (2017), “Toward a three-dimensional

framework for omni-channel”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 77, pp. 53-67.

Taylor, Kate. (2019). Chick-fil-A is taking over America by offering the best customer service in fast food. Business Insider.