Customer Service in a

Multi-Ethnic Society

An InFoPeople Workshop

Winter-Spring 2002

Instructor: Nancy Kelly

nancytkelly@hotmail.com

Introduction

Understand how multi-ethnicity relates to customer service

Recognize bottom-line impact

Encourage sensitivity

Essentials of good service

Personal awareness

Present Challenges

Communication skills

Exercise #1

You make the difference

Let’s hear from you...

What do you want to gain from this experience?

What are your concerns? What topics are you most

interested in that you would like to focus on today?

Importance of Customer Service in a Multi-Ethnic Society

Satisfied customer remain loyal encourage new business

Dissatisfied customer may have a negative impact

Customer determines if good service is provided

Changing Customer Base

Shifting demographics Immigration from more different

countries than before New languages & cultural values People lump groups together

Why is delivering outstanding multi-ethnic customer service important?

20 million Americans primary language is not English

Ethnic dishes now comprise 30% of restaurant entrees

According to United States Travel and Tourism: 45.5 million tourists annually $77,000,000,000 (seventy-seven billion)

By 2040, U.S. population will exceed 355 million, 14% foreign born

Consider These Differences

Customer expectations culturally based

Communication style differences Protocol and courtesy Customs, religious needs, holidays

Ground Rules

Listen while others are talking Encourage candor, open participation Everyone’s view is equally valued

no right or wrong answers group does not have to reach

consensus There are no stupid questions

Exercise #2

Icebreaker: Identity Check

Names Are Important

Often is the first thing we hear

Err on the side of formality

Avoid assuming others want to be

greeted/treated just like we would

Exercise #3

Customer Relations: The Good and Bad

WORST Behavior

Ignored me

Continued personal conversation

Treated me rudely

Ignored my complaint Continued to mispronounce my

name

BEST Behavior

Made me feel important

Spent time helping me

Smiled at me

Used my name

Asked if I needed more help

Culture is…

The total way of life of a particular group of people: think, feel, say, do and make

Written and unwritten, verbal and non-verbal rules people live by

Variation among group members Defines our common sense and

acceptable behavior

Exercise #4

Comparisons of

Cultural Patterns

US Customer Service Norms

Use of first name is friendly Customer is free to browse & not buy Appropriate -point out customer &/or

provider mistake for correction Customer and Provider are equal Customers appreciate informality (self-

service) Provider - smile, make friendly talk Customers served on a first-come, first-

served basis

Norms Outside the USA

Use of first name is disrespectful Customer knows purchase, provider gets Inappropriate to point out a mistake

made by provider or customer C&P-different social class, treat as such Rules of who should speak to whom

based on age, gender and hierarchy Customer appreciates formality Providers should be reserved and

respectful to the customer

Cultural Differences

Customers expectations are culturally based

Can be a barrier between us, and our customers

Even if you make a mistake, people will appreciate your efforts

Stereotypes

“Judgment of a group without regard for the

individual”

Stereotypical Statements, Behaviors and Thoughts

To describe individual by their group membership

Consider individuals exceptions to the rule if they don’t fit the stereotype

Label or judge behavior rather than seeking to understand it

Expect an individual to be a “token” or spokesperson for everyone in the group

How do Stereotypes Affect Customer Service?

Don’t allow room for individuality of the

person

Harmful to the holder because they often

distort information

May act on stereotypes in the

subconscious level without knowing it

Different behavior doesn't mean deficient

Exercise #5

Multiethnic Bingo

BINGO Answers

Chitlings are part of a pig Yonsei is a fourth generation Japanese

American Chinese New Year is usually celebrated in

February Mexican Independence Day is Sept. 16th Kiva is a sacred, ceremonial structure used

by the Pueblos Orale is an expression equivalent to “Cool”

Let’s talk Multi-Ethnic BINGO

What strategies did you use? Did you get misplaced? How did you

feel?

Categories you hesitated about &

why?

What Good Are Stereotypes?

Makes people feel more confident when in multi-ethnic situations

Often people may need to “prove they’re correct”

Stereotype sources: home, peer group, school, work, mass

media, socioeconomic background, culture, gender and race

Exercise #6

Multiple Modes of

Communication

Multiple Modes of Communicating

Do Not share the rules with anyone

Pair up, preferably with people you don’t know A’s and B’s C’s and D’s

Find out 2 new things about your partner

Multiple Modes Debriefing

Read group instruction aloud How did you interpret the behavior

of your partner during the exercise?

Do the characteristics of each group remind you of a specific ethnic group?

Exercise #7

ACT:Observer Feedback

Exercise #8

Action Plan

An Effective Multi-Ethnic Customer Service Person:

Explores customer cultural backgrounds Modifies language for non-native

listeners Tries to look at situations from

other cultural perspectives Monitors own assumptions &

stereotypes Show’s respect for other’s culture

Evaluation Form