How equal service helps drives business success

Equal Services for Diverse Customers, what many people think of as small change “minority” markets need to think again, the “minority” market is a huge and colourful place and one where spending power and influence cannot be ignored.   This one-day workshop is designed to make even the most traditional of people think again about equality and diversity and why they can no longer afford to brush it under the carpet.

• Blue pound: the spending power of women, who make more consumer decisions than men!
• Silver Pound: 80% of the wealth of Britain is the hands of people over 50
• Ethnic Pound: “Leading UK brands are ‘missing out’ on the £4.5 billion market of black and Asian consumers according to a landmark Black Pound Report in 2022
• Pink Pound: is estimated by the Gay Business Association to be worth £6 billion a year
• Purple Pound: Disability Rights campaigners estimated that £60 million was wasted by businesses last year because disabled people could either not get into commercial premises or access the services!

The Equalities Act 2010, includes a range of clauses relating to the provision of goods, facilities and service in terms of access and non-discriminatory arrangements. Additionally, the legislation imposes a duty on public bodies to pay “due regard” in terms of its employment and service delivery policies including, the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality and foster good relationships.

The act also has a public procurement clause which means that any public body offering tenders, contracts or other business opportunities to the private voluntary and not for profit sectors can put the potential provider’s equality policies under robust scrutiny. Decisions about awarding the contract will, in part, be driven by these considerations.

Add to this, the demographic factors which help shape the equality agenda start to become critical to business success. The social atlas in one area will be different from another in terms of both job markets and customer markets.

As businesses, managers and staff begin to understand their neighbourhood(s) a little more they get closer to potential customers. But not only do they get closer to customers – old and new –they also understand the cultural communication factors which shape protocols and convivial ways of engagement. So, thumbs up in Manchester means ok! But in Brazil or to Brazilians it can be an offensive gesture! And that’s important given the huge range of people from other countries now living in the United Kingdom. Not to mention protocols around religion and belief.

Concrew Trainings one day course “Equalities in Customer Care and Service” brings all these considerations together in a lively action-packed day full of information, case studies and techniques for participants to take away for use after the course!

For Whom
This workshop is suitable for managers and staff from all types of business and sectors including private commercial, public, and education and not for profit.  It is especially suited to strategic and operational managers looking at reach wider customer base and for those staff who in turn need to be inspired and motivated to embrace it and deliver exemplary service.

Content

1. Setting the scene in changing and diverse customer markets

• Modern day working definitions of customer care
• What does equality of process, choice and outcome mean for the customer?
• What are the five barriers that impede equal access to the provision of goods, facilities and services? How might these be overcome?
• What is meant by the economic or business argument for equality and diversity in terms of customer recruitment and retention? The vicious and the virtual equality circle involving direct, indirect and opportunity costs.
  
  

2. Going local with the pink/blue/purple/silver £’s and other rainbow currency

• Who are your customers?
• How much do you actually know about them and the neighbourhoods in which they live?
• Are any of your customers hidden from view? (Almost certainly!)
• How do you reach out to them?  Where is information about them?
  
  

3. The Law –You and Your Customers –You as a Customer!

• What does the law actually say?
• How definitions of discrimination have been extended to include possible customer care situations
• What are your key rights and responsibilities? And do customers have similar rights & responsibilities?
• What are the social media equality/diversity issues and implications for customer care
• What about contractors and partners you invite on to your premises?

4. Marketing/Tailoring your services to all your customers

• How Do you advertise your goods, facilities and services?
• The 12 key steps to take to avoid writing discriminatory and offensive advertising copy.
• What does the Equality Act say about “instructions and pressure”
• Case studies from the Advertising Standards Authority

 5. Meet and Greet and beyond!

• How do you consult and involve customers? What is the latest best practice?
• How do you communicate with customers?
  • We take you through body language, tone and words from a western AND non-western perspective.
  •  A “meet and greet” technique that will help you cross the cultural divide.
• Six techniques to assist you with challenging customers
• Managing your own prejudices – we all have them!
• Three magic questions designed to get good customer feedback in a manner that ensures they do 60% of the talking!
• Signposts to other internal and external sources of information or advice.