Services Standards: Defining the Core Consumer Elements ... - ANEC

Services Standards
in accounting and business administration, thereby distinguishing
between the top management and customer service management 429 ,
• A minimum number of managers of employees will be given 430 ,
• Proper services provided to consumers will only be carried out by
personnel who possess a minimum degree of education and training,
supported by a level of intellectual and/or physical fitness needed to
carry out the tasks related to the service, as well as the necessary
communication and language skills,
• A minimum number of staff, differentiated according to the type of service
provided should be given 431 ,
• If there is need, a person responsible for the safety should be appointed.
This person should have adequate language, first aid, safety and fireextinguishing
skills 432 ,
• Personnel requirements on management skills and proper execution of
primary services towards the consumer should include constant
professional development of skills and competencies. Training should
include communication with consumers, complaint handling, safety
requirements, in particular on how to handle risk and emergency
situations,
• Whilst the requirements will vary according to the profession, voluntary
qualifications requirements set out in codes, guidelines, programmes,
elaborated by the relevant business branch as well as by the European
Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) 433 , should
be taken into account to give clearer shape to define particular service
profiles 434 .
429 See for such an approach BS 8477:2007 ‘Code of practice for customer service’, under
4.1. and 4.2.
430 ISO/IEC Draft Guide 76 Development of service standards – Recommendations for
addressing consumer issues, 8.2.8.
431 ISO/IEC Draft Guide 76 Development of service standards – Recommendations for
addressing consumer issues, 8.2.8.
432 Finnish Consumer Agency’s Guidelines for the Promotion for Safety in Program Services,
11/2003 under 8.1. and 8.2.
433 http://europa.eu/agencies/community_agencies/cedefop/index_en.htm.
434 In the same direction, BS 8477:2007 Code of practice for customer service, Annex 2.
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