Buisness and admin

Section 1 — Understand how to make and receive telephone calls 1. Complete the table below with descriptions of at least two different features of a telephone system and how / when they would be used. Feature How / when used 1. Voice-mail A voice-mail is used to leave a message on a phone when the person is unable to take the call such as when they are away from there desk or in a meeting. 2. Call Log Allows you to track and record telephone calls so the person can always look back on who’s called in and who they have called out and how long the telephone calls was. 2. Prepare a brief report advising people on: How to follow organisational procedures when making and receiving telephone calls The purpose of giving a positive image of yourself and your organisation when making and receiving telephone calls. If possible, use specific information from procedures in your own organisation (or one that you are familiar with). Making and Receiving calls Summary: Many organisations have procedures and policies when making and receiving telephone calls as this aims to achieve a professional standard when communicating on the telephone. Following organisational procedures when making and receiving telephone calls. When receiving calls you become responsible for your reputation and the organisations, when the phone rings make sure it is answered in a couple of rings as the person on the other end could get inpatient and hang up , when you do answer the telephone make sure you are polite and greet the customer and make sure you have identified the caller , understood what the caller needed and yo gave him/her the best information possible. When making calls it is a lot easier as you may now what you are going to say such as following a script or simply planning, when you make a call introduce yourself, explain to the person way you are calling and where you are calling from, if you are calling for supplies then have a list of question ready, if you are calling to provide information then have a list of points ready. Always speak clearly and use an appropriate tone of voice and don’t be offended if someone ask you to repeat yourself or speak louder it might just be the line, always end the call on a positive note and thank the person you have been speaking to for there time. Giving a positive image of yourself and the organisation when making and receiving telephone calls. Giving a positive image can affect how the business rates and can have a difference between gaining and losing customers, also the way you answer the telephone can affect the image of yourself and that of the business. A positive image is created by answering and ending a telephone call properly, dealing with callers efficiently and always saying please and thank you. Conclusion so the purpose of the report was to explain to you about following organisational procedures when making and receiving telephone calls and giving a positive image, and I have found out that is best to follow the procedures of the organisation as its gives a positive outcome to you and the business. Section 2 — Understand how to handle mail 1. Explain the purpose of correctly receiving, checking and sorting mail and packages (both incoming and outgoing). The purpose of correctly receiving, checking and sorting mail is to make sure that everything is in order and that the packages is in good condition and that there is no damage and to date stamp the mail, and that mail has been checked thoroughly and items that to need to be enclosed has been attached as well as mail that need sorted has been according to department, urgency and type of delivery. If the mail is not correctly received or checked or sorted properly then it can have serious consequences for the business and mail result in the loss of customers and loss of money. 2. Complete the table below with the following information: At least two examples of internal mail services that are available to organisations At least two examples of external mail services that are available to organisations Internal mail services External mail services 1. departments and branches, the internal staff will deliver the mail to the branches and departments by delivery vans, they will sort the mail out by person and post it into there individual pigeon holes or do desktop deliveries. 1. Royal mail 2. Emails 2. parcelworld. com is a website were you can send your mail to them and they will deliver your mail via there service 3. Describe two methods that you can use to calculate postage charges for mail and / or packages. The first method is websites, you can use all sorts of comparison sites to calculate postage charges for mail or packages, comparison sites lets you choose the best external source by popularity, costs and allows you to choose the cheapest deal, the other method id comparing more then two providers by the cost of sending a mail/package by there size, weight and shape, the destination of where the mail is going and if the mail needs to be tracked or insured how much will it cost. Comparing providers is a sufficient way of finding out which company is the best and also getting the cheapest deal. Section 3 — Understand how to use different types of office equipment 1. Describe the main types of equipment found in offices and how they are used. Include examples of at least three different types of office equipment. The main types of equipment found in offices are Computers, Printers and Fax machines. Computers are very essential for all organisations as they provide a wide range of functions such as producing word documents, spreadsheets and databases, as well as being used to communicate threw instant messaging such as windows live and also to email work colleagues or friends and family. Printers are used none stop, they are used to produce copies of documents created on your computer in 1 of 3 different paper sizes, black and white or colour and print resolution. Fax Machines: They are used to send text, graphics and images threw a telephone line to many organisations and customers. 2. Explain the purpose of following manufacturer’s instructions when using equipment. The Purpose of following the manufacturer’s instructions is for several reasons, the instructions are there to make sure that there equipment has been set up properly and its is safe to use and there are no health and safety risks, the instructions are also there for: Efficiency Maintenance and the Manufactures Guarantee so if anything happens to equipment then you wont be held responsible if the equipment has been made sure that it has been set up properly and that it is in working order. 3. Explain the purpose of keeping equipment clean, hygienic and ready for the next user. The purpose of keeping equipment clean makes sure that it provides better performance and keeping it clean for the next users minimises the spread of germs and gives a much better attitude for the employee who will use the equipment next as if only one person is cleaning the equipment it can lead to sloppiness from the others, Section 4 — Understand how to keep waste to a minimum in a business environment 1. Explain why waste should be kept to a minimum in a business environment. Waste should be kept to a minimum as it can have implications on the business and the work staff, it is also inconvenient and have a huge impact on the environment. Waste should be kept to a minimum especially in a business environment as it wastes time and increases the cost to businesses because of the storing, moving and disposing of the waste, materials being wasted, energy costs and unproductive time 2. Identify at least two main causes of waste in a business environment. The two main causes of waste in a business environment is: people and materials and equipment People are a main reason as they may cause errors from time to time such as printing of the document and not making spelling checks or printing of to many copies they may also print of the wrong document. They may also do a task which has not been completed efficiently which can be a result of lack of training, all of these reasons will result in paper being wasted and resources having to be used again The other reason is materials and equipment business may come across sometimes with faults with there equipment such as printers, printing documents with black lines threw them, copy machines only printers half of a document and computers not working or the input devices not working, and materials being damaged or having to many will cause more waste as this will result in costly sub-stand and products. 3. How can you keep waste to a minimum in a business environment? Describe at least two ways of doing this. You can keep waste to a minimum by following for steps: Prevention: you can minimise waste by preventing errors you can do this a number of ways such as training the staff to a specific job and making sure that the work is efficiently, you can also keep waste down by ordering a specific amount of material and resources and not over ordering as this is not necessary. By making sure that the equipment is in working order and the printouts are efficient is also minimising waste as you are not wasting paper and spending money on buying more equipment Correction: If an error has occurred then make sure that it has been corrected and not a lot of time and material has been wasted, you can also minimise waste by sorting out corrections before anything is finalised Train staff to identify waste and inform the appropriate people: if you train staff then they understand what consequences can happen and they can do something about it and ensure that they are not using to much material that is not necessary Apply techniques such as lean production. Section 5 — Know how to make arrangements for meetings 1. Complete the table below listing at least two different types of meetings and describing the main features of each type of meeting. Type of meeting Main features Information Exchange Conference directed at all employees about what needs to be done and discussing what has already been done Decision making A board meeting to gain senior authorisation on a particular agenda that has been set by a majority of the staff Idea generating When the staff brainstorm an idea based on the agenda set 2. When arranging a meeting: What sources and types of information are typically needed? How should meetings be arranged? Sources and types of information that is typically needed are the logistical information which is the : time and date venue agenda and the amount of people whom will be attending and the contents information which is the: minutes of how long the meeting should/will last reports of other meetings and the outcomes of other meetings You will also need to think in more detail about the venue you will use, the layout of the chairs and tables, how many flip charts and pens will be needed, video screens and sound systems as well as a computer if this is necessary and presentation software if a presentation is going to be used. In your organisation you may have people that require special arrangements, you will need to gather this sort of information and apply this to the meeting, examples of special requirements are things like: disability’s deafness or blindness where special equipment will need to be provided and special dietary Meeting should be arranged according to the logistical information. You need to book a venue in advanced and make sure it is big enough for the amount of people that are attending, you can do this by first checking how many people are coming and hire a venue that will accommodate the amount of people you will also tell people in advanced about the meeting so they know what time and date it is and can let you now before if they will be able to make it you will also need to check on what resources are needed, what special requirements are there and refreshments if this is what will be provided. You will also arrange the meeting based on the agenda. Section 6 — Understand procedures for organising travel and accommodation arrangements 1. Explain the purpose of confirming instructions and requirements for business travel and accommodation. It is important to confirm instructions and requirements for business travel and accommodation to make sure that no mistakes are made, if arrangements for business travel hasn’t been confirmed it can result in the lost of time and money. 2. Complete the table below with an outline of the main types of business travel and accommodation arrangements that may need to be made and the procedures that should be followed when doing this. Travel and accommodation arrangements Procedures Planes and staying at a hotel You will need to book the planes tickets in advanced and book an hotel for the date you will need to think of the budget before booking any kind of ticket and hotel you will need to look at the reports that have been made of travel and accommodation you will also need to think of the staff level such as what hotel is needed will a 1 star hotel be better suited or a 5 star hotel depending on that member, you will also need to make sure that the details are corrects and that you have the confirmation Train and staying at a BNB You will need to book a train ticket and book an BNB for the date attended again you will need to consider the budget so you can go on websites and compare the best train ticket company which is going to your location and again with the BNB Taxi — motel You will need to book a taxi in advanced and book an motel, whiles booking a taxi you can look at reports or ask around comparing which taxi firm is better and cheaper and efficient Ferry — Holiday apartment You will need to book the ferry in advanced and book an place at the holiday apartment. 3. Explain the purpose of keeping records of travel / accommodation arrangements in a business environment. The purpose of keeping records of travel and accommodations arrangements in a business environment allows the organisation to be very well organised and efficient it also allows the business to research into different options and allows you next time to pick the best deal from feedback from the staff on there stay at the accommodation, it also allows you to keep a record of booking made so you know what money has been used as well as who has gone out. The purpose of keeping records also keeps a log of any discounts or refunds that has been received as well as financial records and allows the organization to keep check on the spending of the individual and also departments to be monitored. By keeping good records it is easy for receiving information quickly such as train times and departures without having to contact those that are travelling Section 7 — Understand diary management procedures 1. Briefly explain the purpose of using a diary system to plan activities at work. Give at least two reasons. The purpose of using a diary system to a plan activities at work helps you to keep a record of various business activities such as meetings and appointments that you have attended or are upcoming, it also allows you to keep a records of resources shared and the whereabouts of employees and customers appointments. Using a diary system also minimises the possibilities of any confusions and error, especially as plans can constantly change or be disrupted, using a diary system also allows you to manage your time efficiently as well as note down task you are doing and tick of those completed 2. Identify the information needed to maintain a diary system in the workplace. The information needed to maintain a diary system is the nature of what is recorded and the 5Ws the 5Ws are: Who: is the meeting/appointment for What: is the meeting/appointment about Where: is the location When: is it what date/time Why: is it being held what is the purpose This sort of information will help you maintain a diary system and keep everything organised. Section 8 — Understand the purpose of delivering effective customer service and how to do so 1. What are the differences between internal and external customers in a business environment? The difference between internal and external customers in a business environment is that an internal customers are individuals and groups of people within the organisation who receive the output of your work, an internal customer are individuals outside of the organisation you work in who receive the finished produce or service that the organisation provide. 2. Explain why customer service should meet or exceed customer expectations. Include at least three reasons in your answer. The reason why customer service should meet and exceed customers expectations because if not it could result in fewer external customers, fewer sales and inefficient and wasted resources, however if they are met and you do exceed customer expectations then you will gain a sense of trust and the customers loyalty as well as recommendations good publicity and job satisfaction. 3. Explain the importance of building positive relationships with customers. Outline two ways in which this can be achieved. The importance of building a positive relationships with customers is to show that you have respect, focus, trust, clarity and communication with both parties, each of the parties focus on the facts and the solution and with a relationship with the customers and its easier to know what the problems are and how they can be solved, if there is trust within the relationship to then the customers feel like they can rely on each other. Each of the parties seek to be clear on each other needs and feeling and with a positive relationship with the customer this can be achieved and with building positive relationships you can also have great communications with each other. This can be achieved 4. How do customers demonstrate their own needs and expectations? Customers demonstrate there own needs and expectation by providing feedback, feedback enables the business to work on what customers what and need and determine whether their current products and services meet the needs of the customers Section 9 — Understand the purpose of reception services and how to follow reception procedures 1. What is the purpose of the receptionist role as the first point of contact in a business environment? The purpose of the receptionist role is for you to be efficient and friendly and well organised, you will have to welcome visitors with an appropriate greeting as well as handling enquires , providing information about the organisation , keeping records handling any visitors problems as well as working with other departments 2. Describe how a receptionist can present a positive image of themselves and the organisation and explain why this is important. Receptionist can present a positive image of themselves and the organisation by taking pride in there non-verbal cues such as having a smile on there face, making eye contact with customers and colleagues and looking attentive when the visitors is speaking, show excellent communication skills by speaking slowly and clearly, asking appropriate questions raverlent to what they are asking for, listening carefully and if you don’t understand then ask them to repeat it or inform someone else this will show that you are listening to what they are saying and is showing a positive image to those around you you can also keep visitors informed about what is going on. You can also present a positive image of themselves by being professional such as being polite and friendly and well informed about the role and getting details of those that come in and out and getting them to sign when they arrive and leave, complete paperwork on time and to the best degree, issue badges so you know who is in the building and effectively use technology such a the phone and computer. It is important for the receptionist to present a positive image of themselves and the organisation as if they presented themselves in a negative way such as being rude not paying attention or being very sloppy with there appearance and seemed to across as not caring then it could turn customers away and the business could become a ruin, by showing a positive image to yourself and the organisation shows that you take pride in what you do are and always happy to help those who ask or need it. 3. In relation to your own organisation (or one that you are familiar with), explain what must be done when carrying out entry, departure, security and confidentiality procedures in a reception area. By having procedures to follow in the organisation receptionist can feel more safe and also staff and anyone that enters the building. In many building such as colleges, schools and offices it is impossible to enter the building without some form of IDS such as badges photo ID or paperwork by having this such procedure it ensures the safety of those already in the building, when carrying out entry and departure most business have intercoms which allows the person on the receptionist desk at the time to see and hear the person attempting to enter the building , once they have entered they will need to sign something which is usually some form of register to let the receptionist know who they are and what company they work for and also to let them now they are in the building as well as sign when they leave the receptionist if there wasn’t such a procedure and there was an incident in the building and everybody had to vacant no-one will know who is still inside the building or who is missing by having this such procedure it lets the receptionist know that everybody is outside and is safe and there is no cause for concern , the building may also have them on the cameras and monitor them to make sure they don’t go where there not authorised doing this maintains the security and the confidence of the staff and students etc. security guards may also be employed to watch who goes in as well as those that go out. Examples of confidently procedures could be files databases, back up disk etc…