Handling The Foreign Customers' Complaints By Phone in English at PT.CentroTech Solusindo.
ABSTRACT
Dalam penulisan chapter I, saya membahas mengenai ketertarikan saya
untuk magang di sebuah perusahaan Internet Service Provider, CentroTech.
Selama menjalani masa magang di PT. CentroTech Solusindo, saya bekerja
sebagai pendamping seorang staf front officer perusahaan dalam
menyelesaikan pekerjaannya seperti mengirim dan membalas e-mail dari
pelanggan dalam maupun luar negeri, menerima telepon dari para pelanggan,
dan juga melakukan penawaran produk kepada pelanggan. Oleh karena itu,
kemampuan dalam berkomunikasi harus diterapkan dengan baik.
Dalam penulisan chapter II dan III, saya membahas mengenai bagaimana
menangani keluhan pelanggan asing sebagai siswa pelatihan front officer
melalui telepon. Penyebab masalah tersebut adalah kurangnya pengetahuan
siswa pelatihan front officer mengenai produk yang akan dijual maupun garansi
produk tersebut dan siswa pelatihan front officer tidak menguasai bahasa
Inggris dengan baik terutama dalam listening skill. Ternyata masalah tersebut
memiliki efek buruk seperti pelanggan yang menjadi marah, menghabiskan
waktu klien, dan perusahaan akan bangkrut jika klien tidak percaya lagi pada
perusahaan.
Saya mengajukan tiga solusi yang bisa digunakan perusahaan untuk
menyelesaikan masalah seperti siswa pelatihan front officer harus
meningkatkan listening skill mereka atau meminta bantuan supervisor dalam
melayani pelanggan atau perusahaan mengadakan training bagi para siswa
pelatihan front officer. Tentunya, solusi di atas memiliki dampak positif dan
negatif. Contoh dampak positif jika perusahaan mengadakan training adalah
siswa pelatihan front officer mendapatkan pendidikan tentang produk. Dampak
negatif dari jika perusahaan mengadakan training adalah adanya biaya dan
waktu yang harus dikeluarkan baik dari siswa pelatihan front officer tersebut
atau dari perusahaan.
Berdasarkan hasil analisa yang telah saya lakukan, saya memutuskan
bahwa mengadakan training untuk melayani keluhan dari pelanggan asing
melalui telepon sebagai pilihan terbaik. Dengan mengikuti training ini tentunya
para siswa pelatihan front officer belajar langsung kepada ahli di bidangnya.
Front officer adalah ujung tombak sebuah perusahaan, oleh karena itu
dibutuhkan seseorang yang maksimal untuk menjadi front officer. Training
dapat memaksimalkan potensi seseorang.
i
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………....……………...i
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY………………………………………….….……ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………….……………….….……..iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………..………..iv
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION………….…………………………………….……1-5
A. Background of the Study
B. Identification of the Problem
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
D. Description of the Institution
E. Method of the Study
F. Limitation of the Study
G. Organization of the Term Paper
CHAPTER II. PROBLEM ANALYSIS……………..…………………………….…6-8
CHAPTER III. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS……….…….…………………………9-14
CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION……………….………….……………………….15-17
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX:
A. FLOWCHART
iv
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
APPENDIX
FLOWCHART
Causes:
Problem:
Effects:
1. Front officer trainees’ lack of
product knowledge; therefore,
they cannot solve or handle
the foreign customers’
complaints.
Front officer trainees cannot
handle foreign customers’
complaints by phone in
English.
1. the foreign customers got angry.
2. Front officer trainees are not
really competent in English
especially in listening.
Potential Negative Effects:
1. Front officer trainees must
spend their money to buy
audio tools.
2. It takes time to master the
English listening skill and
speaking skill.
Potential Negative Effects:
3. Company would be bankrupt
Potential Solutions I:
Potential Positive Effects:
Front officer trainees should
individually improve their
listening skill and speaking
skill.
1. Front officer trainees get
improvement for their English skills.
2. Front officer trainees’ confidence
get improvement.
Potential Positive Effects:
Potential Solutions II:
Front officer trainees ask for
some help from the supervisor.
1. Front officer trainees waste
the supervisor’s time.
2. Front officer trainees will be
dependent on supervisor.
2. Front officer trainees waste
foreign customers‘ time
1. The supervisor as a full time
coach can help front officer trainees
all the time.
2. Foreign customers’ complaints
can be quickly assisted.
Potential Solutions III:
Potential Positive Effects:
Potential Negative Effects:
1. Training costs a lot of
money.
Front officer trainees are given
a training on how to handle
foreign customers’ complaints
and improve their product
knowledge.
2. Training uses front officer
trainees’ free time.
My chosen solution is to give
training to front officer trainees.
1. Front officer trainees will learn
how to handle foreign customers’
complaints by phone and products
knowledge.
2. Front officer trainees will be able
to work by themselves without
depend on supervisor.
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Due to the growth in international business over the years, various
international businesses have developed including e-commerce. Electronic
commerces, commonly known as electronic marketing, e-commerce has
international and national markets such as online stores, export-import
companies, foreign exchange trading, and many more.
One of the most rapid growing e-companies in Indonesia is an online
business which enables people to work in their homes. The success of those
online businesses cannot be separated from the role of many companies
such as Internet Service Provider (ISP) companies and Web Master
companies. ISP company is a company which provides bandwidth for clients
and enable them to use internet. A Web Master company is a company which
helps clients to design their webs.
CentroTech is one of the ISP, Web Master, and online store in Bandung
which provides bandwidth and all internet tools. Clients can get a Web Master
service by using the service of CentroTech. The markets of CentroTech are
the people or companies from inside and outside Indonesia. Therefore,
English competence of the staff especially those who have a connection with
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
1
the marketing department is very important, because the good ability of
using English can avoid misunderstanding and mistakes in handling
customer’s orders and complaints by phone.
I am interested in working at CentroTech because I have seen that
nowadays a lot of people employ Internet as a means to help them finish
their job or to get some information. Being able to work there will surely give
me a lot of opportunity to learn about internet business.
During the internship as front officer trainees at CentroTech, my friends
and I found a problem in handling the foreign customers’ complaints by
phone in English. My friends are from SMK 1 Rangkasbitung. I choose to
discuss this problem because failing to handle customer’s complaints
means a big disadvantage for the company which gives the service. The
company will lose consumers and some profits because of the front officer
trainees’ lack of competence in handling foreign customer’s complaints by
phone in English.
B. Identification of the Problem
This study aims at discussing the following questions:
1.
Why is it difficult for front officer trainees to handle foreign
customer’s complaints by phone in English?
2.
What is the best solution for front officer trainees to handle foreign
customer’s complaints by phone in English?
2
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
Based on the problem above, the objectives of the study are to analyze
the causes and effects of not being able to handle foreign customer’s
complaints, to find three potential solutions to solve the problem, and to
choose the best solution from all of these three solutions.
The benefits of the study:
a.
For the company: I hope this term paper will provide useful
information especially for CentroTech staff knowledge of how to handle
foreign customers well. Therefore, company can improve its service for
customer’s satisfaction.
b.
For the readers: I hope this study can make the readers realize the
importance of having good language capability especially English because
nowadays, English becomes a global language and it plays an important
role in every aspect of life, especially in business world.
c.
For myself: By writing this term paper, I can share my experience to
the readers and I can also understand the work situation in a company and
get the insights about how to handle complaints from the customers.
D. Description of the Institution
PT. CentroTech Solusindo is located at Jalan Batik Kumeli No. 80A
Bandung 40123 Jawa Barat, Indonesia. PT. CentroTech Solusindo was
established in February 2006 by David Sunanto as the CEO and has
formally became Perseroan Terbatas (PT.) since March 2007 with a vision
3
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
to be the future Internet Service Provider (ISP) and IT solution for
individuals and corporate purposes in Indonesia, especially at West Java.
CentroTech has grown rapidly since it was established. CentroTech has
expanded its vision to become the qualified company that serves and
provides telecommunication needs for Indonesian and international level.
CentroTech is supported by professionals that have experiences in the
web. CentroTech and DeltaNet are partners in Wireless Internet Service
Provider (WISP) and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA).
E. Method of the Study
In this term paper, the data were collected through some methods. First,
they were collected through a journal which was written during the 45 days
of internship. Second, the data were gathered by doing library and internet
research.
F. Limitation of the Study
The study only discusses a problem about how front officer trainees to
handle two foreign customers’ complaints by telephone in English at
CentroTech company. One of the customers was from Bali and the other
one we did not know where he/she came from because we sent him/her to
our supervisor to handle. The data were taken during 45 days of internship,
from 23 June 2009 until 8 August 2009. The working hours are from 9 AM
until 5 PM.
4
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
G. Organization of the Term Paper
This term paper starts with the Abstract, a summary of the whole paper
in Indonesian. It is followed by the Acknowledgements, which contains the
list of people who have the role in making this paper. After that, there is a
Table of Contents which is followed by four chapters. I would like to divide
the paper into four parts: Chapter I is the Introduction, chapter II contains of
the Problem Analysis, chapter III deals with Potential Solutions, chapter IV
is the Conclusion. For the last part of my paper, I put the Bibliography
containing the list of references and Appendix.
5
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION
After doing some observations at CentroTech, I found that the main problem
that makes CentroTech hard to develop is that the front officer trainees of
CentroTech cannot handle foreign customers’ complaints by phone in English.
There are two causes and three effects of the problem. The causes are
trainees’ lack of products knowledge; therefore, they cannot solve or handle the
foreign customers’ complaints and trainees are not really competent in English
especially in listening and speaking. The effects are the foreign customers got
angry, trainees waste the foreign customers‘ time ,and company would be
bankrupt. Moreover, I propose three potential solutions for CentroTech to
handle this problem. Thus, the solutions have their own positive and negative
effects. The first potential solution is trainees should individually improve their
English listening skill. The potential positive effects are trainees get
improvement for their English skill and trainees’ confidence get improvement to
handle foreign customers. The potential negative effects are trainees must
spend their money to buy audio tools and it takes time to master the English
listening skill. The second potential solution is trainees ask for some help from
the supervisor. The potential positive effects are the supervisor as a full time
15
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
coach at the workplace that can help trainees all the time and the foreign
customers can be quickly assisted. The potential negative effects are trainees
waste the supervisor’s time and trainees will be dependent on supervisor. The
last potential solutions for this problem are trainees are given a training on
how to handle foreign customers’ complaints and improve trainees products
knowledge. The potential positive effects are trainees will get knowledge how
to handle foreign customers’ complaints by phone and products knowledge
and trainees will be able to work by themselves without depend on
supervisor. The potential negative effects are training costs a lot of company’s
money and training use trainees’ free time.
In chapter IV, I would like to present the best solution to handle
complaints from the foreign customers by phone as front officer trainees at
CentroTech. From the analysis of the potential solutions that I have discussed
in the chapter III, I decide to choose the third solution which is giving a
training to front officer trainees to handle foreign customers’ complaints by
phone in English. The trainees can be better employees by improving
themselves with some help from the experts. The current service of the
trainees at CentroTech sometimes makes the foreign customers feel
unsatisfied and create negative thoughts about the company. Besides that, it
creates a negative atmosphere between front officer trainees and technicians
who know more about the products. To avoid this problem for becoming
worse, CentroTech must improve the front officer trainees’ skill to handle
16
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
foreign customers’ complaints and their products knowledge. Jef Menguin
states that “Providing training for employees not only helps them develop their
skills and knowledge, but it is also motivational and a building block to
organizational success.” (par. 2). It is obvious that providing a training for the
front officer trainees in CentroTech will make the company more productive. I
also think that periodic trainings will refresh front officer trainees’ knowledge
in handling foreign customers’ complaints. Peter Tyndall states that:
No matter how well the complaints system is written, councilors and staff
need training in how the system works. Staff needs to be encouraged to
say if they are having difficulties and need to know to whom they can go if
they need help. And the training needs to be refreshed at regular intervals
(8).
Thus, CentroTech will create good human resources especially front officer
trainees if the company willing to pay the trainings.
To conclude, front officer trainees’ competence in handling the foreign
customers’ complaints by phone in English need to be improved, especially
for a service company like CentroTech because it will maintain relationship
with the foreign customers. I suggest that the company a hold training
especially for front officer trainees. Therefore, it will make the company well
prepared in the midst of tight competition among internet service provider and
products company, considering that CentroTech is a company that still
developing and needs many foreign customers’ loyalty.
17
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Printed Sources
Tyndall, Peter. “Guidance to Local Authorities on Complaints Handling” Public Services
Ombudsman for Wales. Pencoed: Wales, Sept. 2006: 3.
Electronic Sources
Beare, Kenneth. ”Improving Listening Skills” About.com 2009. 27 November 2009.
.
Foonberg, Jay G. “What Clients Want: Learn How to Listen to Clients When They Talk”
Law Practice TODAY May 2004. 27 November 2009.
.
LeBoeuf, Michael “Customer.” Brainyquote.com 2009. 27 November 2009
.
Lund, Neel. “Guide to a Successful Front Office Upsell Incentive Program” Successful Front
Office Upsell Incentive Programs for Hotel October 2007. 27 November 2009.
.
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
McCord, Paul. “Developing Client Trust” Salesmagazine.com 2007. 27 November 2009.
.
Menguin, Jef. “Empowering Organization” Jefmenguin.com 2009. 27 November 2009.
.
“Customer Service Guidelines” By Ministry of Consumer Affairs. 2009. 27 November 2009
.
Rappin, Jennifer, and Valerie Struthers. “For Mentor Teachers” Assist.educ.msu.edu 2004.
27 November 2009.
.
Reh, John. “Guide to Management” About.com 2009. 27 November 2009.
.
Rogers, Martha. “Building Customer Trust and Company Profits at the Same Time”
Bettermanagement.com 23 August 2005. 27 November 2009.
.
Sullivan, Adam. “Practice Makes Perfect” GoEnglish.com 2009. 19 December 2009.
.
Thomas, Isiah. “Mentors” Brainyquote.com 2009. 27 November 2009.
.
Tracy, Brian. “Sharpening Your Conversation Skills” Earthlingcommunication.com 2001. 27
November 2009. .
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
United States. “Serving the American People: Best Practices in Resolving Customer
Complaints” By National Performance Review. November 1996. 27 November 2009.
.
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
Dalam penulisan chapter I, saya membahas mengenai ketertarikan saya
untuk magang di sebuah perusahaan Internet Service Provider, CentroTech.
Selama menjalani masa magang di PT. CentroTech Solusindo, saya bekerja
sebagai pendamping seorang staf front officer perusahaan dalam
menyelesaikan pekerjaannya seperti mengirim dan membalas e-mail dari
pelanggan dalam maupun luar negeri, menerima telepon dari para pelanggan,
dan juga melakukan penawaran produk kepada pelanggan. Oleh karena itu,
kemampuan dalam berkomunikasi harus diterapkan dengan baik.
Dalam penulisan chapter II dan III, saya membahas mengenai bagaimana
menangani keluhan pelanggan asing sebagai siswa pelatihan front officer
melalui telepon. Penyebab masalah tersebut adalah kurangnya pengetahuan
siswa pelatihan front officer mengenai produk yang akan dijual maupun garansi
produk tersebut dan siswa pelatihan front officer tidak menguasai bahasa
Inggris dengan baik terutama dalam listening skill. Ternyata masalah tersebut
memiliki efek buruk seperti pelanggan yang menjadi marah, menghabiskan
waktu klien, dan perusahaan akan bangkrut jika klien tidak percaya lagi pada
perusahaan.
Saya mengajukan tiga solusi yang bisa digunakan perusahaan untuk
menyelesaikan masalah seperti siswa pelatihan front officer harus
meningkatkan listening skill mereka atau meminta bantuan supervisor dalam
melayani pelanggan atau perusahaan mengadakan training bagi para siswa
pelatihan front officer. Tentunya, solusi di atas memiliki dampak positif dan
negatif. Contoh dampak positif jika perusahaan mengadakan training adalah
siswa pelatihan front officer mendapatkan pendidikan tentang produk. Dampak
negatif dari jika perusahaan mengadakan training adalah adanya biaya dan
waktu yang harus dikeluarkan baik dari siswa pelatihan front officer tersebut
atau dari perusahaan.
Berdasarkan hasil analisa yang telah saya lakukan, saya memutuskan
bahwa mengadakan training untuk melayani keluhan dari pelanggan asing
melalui telepon sebagai pilihan terbaik. Dengan mengikuti training ini tentunya
para siswa pelatihan front officer belajar langsung kepada ahli di bidangnya.
Front officer adalah ujung tombak sebuah perusahaan, oleh karena itu
dibutuhkan seseorang yang maksimal untuk menjadi front officer. Training
dapat memaksimalkan potensi seseorang.
i
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………....……………...i
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY………………………………………….….……ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………….……………….….……..iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………..………..iv
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION………….…………………………………….……1-5
A. Background of the Study
B. Identification of the Problem
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
D. Description of the Institution
E. Method of the Study
F. Limitation of the Study
G. Organization of the Term Paper
CHAPTER II. PROBLEM ANALYSIS……………..…………………………….…6-8
CHAPTER III. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS……….…….…………………………9-14
CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION……………….………….……………………….15-17
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX:
A. FLOWCHART
iv
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
APPENDIX
FLOWCHART
Causes:
Problem:
Effects:
1. Front officer trainees’ lack of
product knowledge; therefore,
they cannot solve or handle
the foreign customers’
complaints.
Front officer trainees cannot
handle foreign customers’
complaints by phone in
English.
1. the foreign customers got angry.
2. Front officer trainees are not
really competent in English
especially in listening.
Potential Negative Effects:
1. Front officer trainees must
spend their money to buy
audio tools.
2. It takes time to master the
English listening skill and
speaking skill.
Potential Negative Effects:
3. Company would be bankrupt
Potential Solutions I:
Potential Positive Effects:
Front officer trainees should
individually improve their
listening skill and speaking
skill.
1. Front officer trainees get
improvement for their English skills.
2. Front officer trainees’ confidence
get improvement.
Potential Positive Effects:
Potential Solutions II:
Front officer trainees ask for
some help from the supervisor.
1. Front officer trainees waste
the supervisor’s time.
2. Front officer trainees will be
dependent on supervisor.
2. Front officer trainees waste
foreign customers‘ time
1. The supervisor as a full time
coach can help front officer trainees
all the time.
2. Foreign customers’ complaints
can be quickly assisted.
Potential Solutions III:
Potential Positive Effects:
Potential Negative Effects:
1. Training costs a lot of
money.
Front officer trainees are given
a training on how to handle
foreign customers’ complaints
and improve their product
knowledge.
2. Training uses front officer
trainees’ free time.
My chosen solution is to give
training to front officer trainees.
1. Front officer trainees will learn
how to handle foreign customers’
complaints by phone and products
knowledge.
2. Front officer trainees will be able
to work by themselves without
depend on supervisor.
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Due to the growth in international business over the years, various
international businesses have developed including e-commerce. Electronic
commerces, commonly known as electronic marketing, e-commerce has
international and national markets such as online stores, export-import
companies, foreign exchange trading, and many more.
One of the most rapid growing e-companies in Indonesia is an online
business which enables people to work in their homes. The success of those
online businesses cannot be separated from the role of many companies
such as Internet Service Provider (ISP) companies and Web Master
companies. ISP company is a company which provides bandwidth for clients
and enable them to use internet. A Web Master company is a company which
helps clients to design their webs.
CentroTech is one of the ISP, Web Master, and online store in Bandung
which provides bandwidth and all internet tools. Clients can get a Web Master
service by using the service of CentroTech. The markets of CentroTech are
the people or companies from inside and outside Indonesia. Therefore,
English competence of the staff especially those who have a connection with
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
1
the marketing department is very important, because the good ability of
using English can avoid misunderstanding and mistakes in handling
customer’s orders and complaints by phone.
I am interested in working at CentroTech because I have seen that
nowadays a lot of people employ Internet as a means to help them finish
their job or to get some information. Being able to work there will surely give
me a lot of opportunity to learn about internet business.
During the internship as front officer trainees at CentroTech, my friends
and I found a problem in handling the foreign customers’ complaints by
phone in English. My friends are from SMK 1 Rangkasbitung. I choose to
discuss this problem because failing to handle customer’s complaints
means a big disadvantage for the company which gives the service. The
company will lose consumers and some profits because of the front officer
trainees’ lack of competence in handling foreign customer’s complaints by
phone in English.
B. Identification of the Problem
This study aims at discussing the following questions:
1.
Why is it difficult for front officer trainees to handle foreign
customer’s complaints by phone in English?
2.
What is the best solution for front officer trainees to handle foreign
customer’s complaints by phone in English?
2
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
Based on the problem above, the objectives of the study are to analyze
the causes and effects of not being able to handle foreign customer’s
complaints, to find three potential solutions to solve the problem, and to
choose the best solution from all of these three solutions.
The benefits of the study:
a.
For the company: I hope this term paper will provide useful
information especially for CentroTech staff knowledge of how to handle
foreign customers well. Therefore, company can improve its service for
customer’s satisfaction.
b.
For the readers: I hope this study can make the readers realize the
importance of having good language capability especially English because
nowadays, English becomes a global language and it plays an important
role in every aspect of life, especially in business world.
c.
For myself: By writing this term paper, I can share my experience to
the readers and I can also understand the work situation in a company and
get the insights about how to handle complaints from the customers.
D. Description of the Institution
PT. CentroTech Solusindo is located at Jalan Batik Kumeli No. 80A
Bandung 40123 Jawa Barat, Indonesia. PT. CentroTech Solusindo was
established in February 2006 by David Sunanto as the CEO and has
formally became Perseroan Terbatas (PT.) since March 2007 with a vision
3
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
to be the future Internet Service Provider (ISP) and IT solution for
individuals and corporate purposes in Indonesia, especially at West Java.
CentroTech has grown rapidly since it was established. CentroTech has
expanded its vision to become the qualified company that serves and
provides telecommunication needs for Indonesian and international level.
CentroTech is supported by professionals that have experiences in the
web. CentroTech and DeltaNet are partners in Wireless Internet Service
Provider (WISP) and Broadband Wireless Access (BWA).
E. Method of the Study
In this term paper, the data were collected through some methods. First,
they were collected through a journal which was written during the 45 days
of internship. Second, the data were gathered by doing library and internet
research.
F. Limitation of the Study
The study only discusses a problem about how front officer trainees to
handle two foreign customers’ complaints by telephone in English at
CentroTech company. One of the customers was from Bali and the other
one we did not know where he/she came from because we sent him/her to
our supervisor to handle. The data were taken during 45 days of internship,
from 23 June 2009 until 8 August 2009. The working hours are from 9 AM
until 5 PM.
4
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
G. Organization of the Term Paper
This term paper starts with the Abstract, a summary of the whole paper
in Indonesian. It is followed by the Acknowledgements, which contains the
list of people who have the role in making this paper. After that, there is a
Table of Contents which is followed by four chapters. I would like to divide
the paper into four parts: Chapter I is the Introduction, chapter II contains of
the Problem Analysis, chapter III deals with Potential Solutions, chapter IV
is the Conclusion. For the last part of my paper, I put the Bibliography
containing the list of references and Appendix.
5
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION
After doing some observations at CentroTech, I found that the main problem
that makes CentroTech hard to develop is that the front officer trainees of
CentroTech cannot handle foreign customers’ complaints by phone in English.
There are two causes and three effects of the problem. The causes are
trainees’ lack of products knowledge; therefore, they cannot solve or handle the
foreign customers’ complaints and trainees are not really competent in English
especially in listening and speaking. The effects are the foreign customers got
angry, trainees waste the foreign customers‘ time ,and company would be
bankrupt. Moreover, I propose three potential solutions for CentroTech to
handle this problem. Thus, the solutions have their own positive and negative
effects. The first potential solution is trainees should individually improve their
English listening skill. The potential positive effects are trainees get
improvement for their English skill and trainees’ confidence get improvement to
handle foreign customers. The potential negative effects are trainees must
spend their money to buy audio tools and it takes time to master the English
listening skill. The second potential solution is trainees ask for some help from
the supervisor. The potential positive effects are the supervisor as a full time
15
Universitas Kristen Maranatha
coach at the workplace that can help trainees all the time and the foreign
customers can be quickly assisted. The potential negative effects are trainees
waste the supervisor’s time and trainees will be dependent on supervisor. The
last potential solutions for this problem are trainees are given a training on
how to handle foreign customers’ complaints and improve trainees products
knowledge. The potential positive effects are trainees will get knowledge how
to handle foreign customers’ complaints by phone and products knowledge
and trainees will be able to work by themselves without depend on
supervisor. The potential negative effects are training costs a lot of company’s
money and training use trainees’ free time.
In chapter IV, I would like to present the best solution to handle
complaints from the foreign customers by phone as front officer trainees at
CentroTech. From the analysis of the potential solutions that I have discussed
in the chapter III, I decide to choose the third solution which is giving a
training to front officer trainees to handle foreign customers’ complaints by
phone in English. The trainees can be better employees by improving
themselves with some help from the experts. The current service of the
trainees at CentroTech sometimes makes the foreign customers feel
unsatisfied and create negative thoughts about the company. Besides that, it
creates a negative atmosphere between front officer trainees and technicians
who know more about the products. To avoid this problem for becoming
worse, CentroTech must improve the front officer trainees’ skill to handle
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foreign customers’ complaints and their products knowledge. Jef Menguin
states that “Providing training for employees not only helps them develop their
skills and knowledge, but it is also motivational and a building block to
organizational success.” (par. 2). It is obvious that providing a training for the
front officer trainees in CentroTech will make the company more productive. I
also think that periodic trainings will refresh front officer trainees’ knowledge
in handling foreign customers’ complaints. Peter Tyndall states that:
No matter how well the complaints system is written, councilors and staff
need training in how the system works. Staff needs to be encouraged to
say if they are having difficulties and need to know to whom they can go if
they need help. And the training needs to be refreshed at regular intervals
(8).
Thus, CentroTech will create good human resources especially front officer
trainees if the company willing to pay the trainings.
To conclude, front officer trainees’ competence in handling the foreign
customers’ complaints by phone in English need to be improved, especially
for a service company like CentroTech because it will maintain relationship
with the foreign customers. I suggest that the company a hold training
especially for front officer trainees. Therefore, it will make the company well
prepared in the midst of tight competition among internet service provider and
products company, considering that CentroTech is a company that still
developing and needs many foreign customers’ loyalty.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Tyndall, Peter. “Guidance to Local Authorities on Complaints Handling” Public Services
Ombudsman for Wales. Pencoed: Wales, Sept. 2006: 3.
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