Types of customer (1)

1
Types of customer (1)

• Internal customers
• Colleagues
• Management and supervision
• Staff teams
• Employees
• Staff in other functions or departments

2
Types of customer (2)

• External customers
• People who buy from the organisations
• People who use the organisations products /
  services
• Categories
• Individual
• Group
• Age
• Culture
• Language spoken
• Customers with specific personal needs

3
Individuals and groups

• Individuals
• Private health clubs / personal service
• Exclusivity
• Groups
• Business groups / corporate service
• Business women Crest Hotels
• Golf clubs
• Conferencing facilities

4
People of different ages

• Age group classifications
• Children, babies, toddlers, older children,
  teenagers
• Adults, young adults, middle aged adults
• Senior citizens
• Age combinations
• Parents with young children and / or babies
• Parents with teenage children
• Adults with grand children
• Adults with senior citizen parents

5
Different cultures

• Cultural background influences
• Traditions
• Tastes
• Preferences
• Opinions
• Needs
• Assumptions cannot be made based on culture
• Could give offence
• Cause customer dissatisfaction

6
Language

• The impact on the tourism market
• Language can be a barrier
• Multi lingual staff are an advantage
• The communication process can be helped by
• Gestures
• Diagrams and pictures
• Dictionaries to translate key words / phrases
• Learning a few simple phrases
• Use of signs and display panels

7
Customers with specific needs (1)

• Sensory impairment (visual, hearing, speech)
• Mobility problems (wheel chair, walking frame)
• Literacy or numeracy difficulties
• Special dietary requirements
• People with very young children
• Misunderstanding surrounds specific needs
• Misunderstanding leads to inappropriate service
• Labels are offensive when referring to specific
  needs

8
Customers with specific needs (2)

• Customers should not be made to feel
• Different
• A nuisance
• Customers do require
• Same level of service as all other customers
• A little extra care and consideration
• There are legal requirements and guidelines
• National Tourism Strategy

9
Disability Discrimination Act 1995

• Access to goods, services and facilities
• Service providers cannot
• Refuse a service
• Offer a lower standard or terms of service
• Service providers must
• Make changes to products and services so that
  customers with disabilities are not excluded
• From 2004 take reasonable steps to remove
  physical barriers which make it difficult for
  customers with disabilities to gain access to
  goods and services

10
Avoiding offensive language
Dont say Say instead
Cripple Disabled person
Invalid Disabled person
Handicapped Disabled
Deaf aid Hearing aid
Mentally handicapped Learning difficulty/ disability
Deaf and dumb Profoundly deaf
Confined to a wheelchair Wheelchair user
Disabled toilet Accessible toilet
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Key words and phrases

• Personal presentation
• First impression
• Appearance
• Uniform
• Personal hygiene
• Personality
• Attitude

• Internal customers
• External customers
• Individuals
• Groups
• Different ages
• Cultural background
• Non-English speaking
• Specific needs
• Disability Discrimination Act