Warning: This post will be FILLED with photos. Enjoy!(?)
So the second month of ITP has ended awhile back, and I'm updating now.
It's overall been fun(in a sense) and I have learnt plenty, despite just having a counter job. While my other classmates will learn plenty of technical things, what I get from my ITP is really a lot of different experiences. While my job is a "rinse-and-repeat" one, each and every customer who approach provides a new experience for me. That, is what I am trying to gain from my ITP.
And now, photos of my workplace! :)
One of my mini-project-cum-assignments: updating the KPI(Key Performance Index) for the Back Office(public call flow) and customer flow in the store.
Some notes that I took down.
I made this little "card" for the MPU counter. Those customers can be really trigger happy on the bell!!
It's rare to see full force at the Exchange & Returns counters. I suppose it's because it's a weekend. But I found this photo really... nice. It's heartening, to see everyone working together :)
Welcome to the Archiving Room (aka Store Room)! It's "sorta" creepy, or maybe it just looks like that because of the lighting. There have been some... "stories" about the place, but in my opinion, it was just a very stuffy room. I came here with a co-worker and our manager to archive some files and receipts.
I got a chance to use one of these things(not too sure what they're called, like manual forklifts). It's a bit weird to use one of them at first, but then after that, it feels a lot like you're driving when using it.
This is my first project! Planning the July roster for Customer Relations! This is work in progress.
And this is the finished product!
Of-Importance
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
ITP @ IKEA: A Month Later
Ok, so a month and a week has passed since the start of our ITP, and the company that I sought out was IKEA (Tampines branch)!
My job at the company is to basically serve customers at the Exchange & Returns counters. Along the way, I was also taught how to complete other tasks, such as taking care of the Merchandise Pick-Up (MPU) counter.
It has been a rather fun (so to say) month, and all my colleagues have been very welcoming and friendly towards a new staff like me.
They are also all very patient with me, always slowly teaching me the correct procedures and steps for getting the job done. Although some times I'm quite unsure as to what to do in certain situations, they always step in quickly to assist me, and for that I am very thankful to them.
I must say that being at the frontline is not easy. There are some customers who are exceedingly demanding, insisting that they should not have to queue for their turn while others are also waiting, or wanting to be given extra privileges.
I remember for the first 2 weeks, I was made in-charge of the promotion counter. The promotion that IKEA was having that month was that when a customer spent at least $128 in a single receipt, they were entitled to $20 dining vouchers. Multiple receipts were not allowed.
Some customers misunderstood the details and thought it was for every $128, they would get an additional $20 voucher and after being corrected, they would become frustrated and even angry at me for not giving them more vouchers. At first I was rather timid and would give in to their demands, but I slowly learnt to be more firm and to be able to handle the situation on a case-by-case basis. I have also had very friendly customers who are very understanding or who joke with me.
After the promotion ended, I was mainly back to the Exchange & Returns counters. I admit that in the beginning, I was easily agitated by some customer demands and felt very unwilling to go the extra mile. But after going for the Home Furnnishing Training and the HEARTS Training held by the company, I slowly started to understand more about customer service and the company's vision, goals and ideas. After these 2 training sessions, I was more willing to serve customers, and to go the extra mile to help them feel satisfied with the store. I always make sure to greet them with a smile no matter how tired I am and to thank them when they leave, and also to help them with any other requests they may have. Even demanding customers do not get me down anymore.
All in all, I feel that customer service is not just a one-way interaction; from staff to customer. The customer plays a very important role as well. For example, there are customers who come to us looking to buy spare parts or replacements. However, they do not give us the name of the product, or the product code and only give us vague descriptions of what they need (an example of this would be when a lady came to me looking for spare parts for her wardrobe and described her wardrobe to me as "tall and wide"). We are not mind readers, and therefore will need more information to be able to fully assit you. For cases such as these, we will ask the customer to enter the store, find the product and obtain the production information on the boxes or labels and to return to us again. It is as my supervisor said: "Help us to help you."
My job at the company is to basically serve customers at the Exchange & Returns counters. Along the way, I was also taught how to complete other tasks, such as taking care of the Merchandise Pick-Up (MPU) counter.
It has been a rather fun (so to say) month, and all my colleagues have been very welcoming and friendly towards a new staff like me.
They are also all very patient with me, always slowly teaching me the correct procedures and steps for getting the job done. Although some times I'm quite unsure as to what to do in certain situations, they always step in quickly to assist me, and for that I am very thankful to them.
I must say that being at the frontline is not easy. There are some customers who are exceedingly demanding, insisting that they should not have to queue for their turn while others are also waiting, or wanting to be given extra privileges.
I remember for the first 2 weeks, I was made in-charge of the promotion counter. The promotion that IKEA was having that month was that when a customer spent at least $128 in a single receipt, they were entitled to $20 dining vouchers. Multiple receipts were not allowed.
Some customers misunderstood the details and thought it was for every $128, they would get an additional $20 voucher and after being corrected, they would become frustrated and even angry at me for not giving them more vouchers. At first I was rather timid and would give in to their demands, but I slowly learnt to be more firm and to be able to handle the situation on a case-by-case basis. I have also had very friendly customers who are very understanding or who joke with me.
After the promotion ended, I was mainly back to the Exchange & Returns counters. I admit that in the beginning, I was easily agitated by some customer demands and felt very unwilling to go the extra mile. But after going for the Home Furnnishing Training and the HEARTS Training held by the company, I slowly started to understand more about customer service and the company's vision, goals and ideas. After these 2 training sessions, I was more willing to serve customers, and to go the extra mile to help them feel satisfied with the store. I always make sure to greet them with a smile no matter how tired I am and to thank them when they leave, and also to help them with any other requests they may have. Even demanding customers do not get me down anymore.
All in all, I feel that customer service is not just a one-way interaction; from staff to customer. The customer plays a very important role as well. For example, there are customers who come to us looking to buy spare parts or replacements. However, they do not give us the name of the product, or the product code and only give us vague descriptions of what they need (an example of this would be when a lady came to me looking for spare parts for her wardrobe and described her wardrobe to me as "tall and wide"). We are not mind readers, and therefore will need more information to be able to fully assit you. For cases such as these, we will ask the customer to enter the store, find the product and obtain the production information on the boxes or labels and to return to us again. It is as my supervisor said: "Help us to help you."
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Out of Class Activity 2
Watch the video from the link titled “Elements of Greatness”
Describe in your own words (between 100 to 200 words) what is the video trying to emphasise on and what are the positive and negative, (if any), effects from this video.
------------------I personally feel that the video is inspiring, especially with the line “It is not enough to be the best when you have the ability to be great”.
It emphasizes on us finding the motivation or drive to excel, as it uses messages like “What drives you?” and “What inspires you into action?” Overall, it aims to tell us to push on forward, giving our most, instead of just giving more. The positive effect of the video is that it tells us to look deep down into ourselves and to find that spark. While I cannot speak for the general public, a person of low self-esteem would most likely feel even more depressed after viewing this video. To them, they might feel that they do not have any worth at all and the messages and questions in the video only serve to rub salt into the wound.
Also, “success” and “greatness” are very subjective, not to mention vague. What I find “successful” might be a “failure” in someone else’s eyes. Also, I feel that the video should not just be for motivating employees. It should apply to every living person. “Success” and “Greatness” do not only come in the forms of career and material riches.
All in all, I feel that it is a good video to watch if you need a pick-me-up, but there are better ways of motivating people, instead of just asking them questions about what motivates them.
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