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Procedures for managing customer service records

You will agree that it would not be possible to provide a reliable service to customers and take proper care of their needs without effective records management.

Customer service records can help you to ensure that

• customers receive the goods and services that they require;
• there is a continuity of service each time that they do business with you.

Customer service records may contain

• customers’ personal details –such as name, date of birth;
• customers’ contact details – address, phone number, email;
• special requirements;
• service history – Previous expertience of the customert, the goods and services that the customer has been supplied with previously.

These may be on paper or computer based. Now try activity 21.

Activity 21

Activity

Make a note of the customer service records that you keep, the types of information that they contain and how they are kept (on paper/computer). Customer service records Information contained Paper or computer based 1 2 3

It is important that customer records are accurate, up-to-date and clear. This will ensure that they

• can be used for the benefit of the customer and the service provision;
• they will be understood by anyone who needs access to them.

If you maintain records about your customers they should be treated as confidential. They should be kept securely to avoid them falling into the wrong hands. In some countries records may be subject to The Data Protection Act. This entitles customers to

• see the information that you hold about them;
• have incorrect information changed or destroyed;
• claim compensation if inaccurate information is damaging to them.