Case Study: Customer Relations - Research Paper Example

I also ensure that the dining area is welcoming and clean (personal communication, July 26, 2013). Q: What is the importance of good customer service skills at McDonald’s? Kate: Employees are required to have good skills in customer service, which is integral to our way of doing things. We are expected to give personal and friendly service to our customers, whereas anticipating what the customers’ requirements will be (Sharma, 2011). It is also essential that we show sensitivity to the individual needs of each customer.

All employees are required to show drive, as well as natural abilities, which allow us to engage cordially with regular and new customers (Personal communication, July 26, 2013). Q: What do you consider the most important asset for employees in customer service? Kate: McDonald’s serves a variety of regular and new customers as I said. This means that one will need to interact with individuals of all needs and ages comfortably (personal communication, July 26, 2013). Q: How do you tell the customer’s needs?

Kate: I simply put myself in their position. Sometimes, all customer wants to do is to skip hours of doing their own dinner and the dishes afterwards. Eating at McDonald’s is a convenient way to do this and they want it to be as smooth as possible. We used to receive numerous complaints, which all boiled down to the fact that customers expect satisfaction at McDonald’s. Even when it is not perfect, they at least want to eat comfortably and in peace. Knowing this is the beginning of understanding their needs (personal communication, July 26, 2013).

Q: Finally, could you tell me the main issues that face customer service at McDonald’s? Kate: Well, many issues face, not just us, but all fast food restaurants in the country. Where do I start… (Laughs)…some of them make customers extra agitated. One issue that is challenging is giving improper orders (personal communication, July 26, 2013). With the number of people served, this is an unavoidable issue. However, we ensure that we rectify the order as soon as possible. The customer may have waited patiently for their order, but they will not be so patient for rectification of wrong orders (Sharma, 2011).

I have found that customers get infuriated when they have to sit and watch others eat as they await their orders to be rectified. Some employees may also be inattentive to younger customers, which can be a put off for them. It is essential to fix this, as the young customer is very important to the future of McDonald’s. Finally, keeping the dining areas totally clean is a challenge, especially since customers do not appreciate employees cleaning the room as they eat (personal communication, July 26, 2013).

Recently, a report on the Wall Street Journal discussed a webcast delivered by top management executives at McDonald’s, where they discussed the worsening quality of customer service with the organization’s franchisees. McDonald is set to put improved emphasis on customer service, especially following their failure to achieve Wall Street expectations on their earnings (Jargon, 2013). The new management executives at the organization have emphasized customer service focus as the driver that will push them towards increased market share.

In order for McDonald’