ASSESSMENT TASK – 100%

Produce a 4,500-word (+/- 10%) academic report by applying academic marketing (service) models, methods, and theories to assess the factors that influence an organisation’s ability in maximising customer value.

 

Task Description/Scenario:

 

Customer Experience (CX) is at the heart of everything for the sustainable competitive advantage, but the impact of Covid-19 has resulted in the term quickly evolving. The current global pandemic situation caused by COVID-19 and changes in customers’ behaviour has forced organisations to use their CRM as a strategic function to improve the experience and engagement of their customers.

 

As customers’ expectations shift, experiences with businesses change, and interactions move solely online, companies all over the world are adapting to their ‘new’ customer base, who have a new set of priorities that may be significantly different to those of a few months ago.

 

COVID-19 situation has forced every single one of us to change in some way or another, whether we like it or not. So much of our everyday routine has been disrupted, whether that’s the way we interact with people, the way we search or the way we make a purchase, or the things we prioritise. The main challenge businesses are going to face is getting to the bottom of what exactly it is that has changed for them, and precisely how their customers’ behaviour has differed from before lockdown.

 

We’re living through an experience which is capable of changing customer opinions overnight. Without the means to keep an eye on these changes, you run the risk of assuming the old rules still apply – which just isn’t the case. Companies who can get their hands on this insight can use it to adapt their Customer Experience (CX) and Customer Engagement (CE) better support their customers through this time, and make the necessary changes to continue those relationships when all this is over.

 

The term ‘the new normal’ is being thrown around a lot. The ‘new normal’ will be more Customer Experience (CX) focused than ever. It will be all about fine-tuning right the way through the journey. Before all of this happened, evaluating the customer experience may not have been at the top of many businesses’ to-do lists, whereas this situation has brought the real value of a brand right to the forefront of the consumer’s minds. A refined Customer Experience (CX) is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s an essential.

 

People will be a lot more focused on what they’re deriving from a brand in terms of what the brand represents, what it offers, how they communicate with their customers and what they really stand for. This might mean that you need to reassess the ways in which you bond with your customers. After all, we’ve seen huge corporations all over the world show their more ‘human’ sides, so we all know it can be done.

 

With millions of us being forced to shop online, and with more time on our hands to research alternatives, businesses need to learn how to adapt to connect with their customers on a more personal and emotional level. Customers don’t want sales tools or gimmicks, especially in times like these. It’s crucial that businesses make trust signals a natural part of the customer experience rather than a ‘bolt on’ at the end of the journey. If the first time a customer sees someone else’s opinion on a brand is next to the buy button, it feels like a sales tool rather than a genuine, core part of your customer experience. Without incorporating connections

 

(such as feedback from like-minded people) into the CX from the very get-go, brands risk losing customers to competitors that they feel stronger emotional connections with.

 

In times of crisis like COVID-19, people tend to readdress their own personal values and priorities, which will also prompt a shift in their expectations as a consumer. When this is all over, we’ll probably all be more forgiving when it comes to slip-ups and delays, but for how long? The ‘pre-Covid’ expectations of a seamless experience and swift next-day delivery will start to creep back once we reach the light at the end of the tunnel, but the focus of those expectations may evolve. Whilst we used to be concerned with the likes of same-day deliveries and hyper-personalised services, we may start to see greater value in other qualities of a business, such as their ethos, the way in which they communicate, their levels of customer service, or their commitment to the environment (https://dma.org.uk/article/adapting-customer-experience-in-a-post-covid-world).

 

In light to the given scenario above, you will need to identify an organisation that you either work for at the moment or have worked for in the past. If you have never worked for an organisation, then you will need to choose an extracurricular organisation you are involved in, or an alternative organisation that you know a lot about, in terms of what happens within the internal organisation environment (e.g. an organisation your parent/partner works for). If you are having problems choosing an organisation, please discuss this with your module lecturer.

 

Having chosen your organisation and reviewed the brief scenario above, you then need to answer the following question:

 

“How do internal and external factors including COVID-19 affect or influence organisation’s quality systems and controls for customers and how the organisation can deal with the new situation and achieve its business objectives by developing and maintaining good customer relationships?”

 

 

Report Details:

 

You need to write a report, which includes each of the following sections:

 

1. Briefly Introduce the organisation you have chosen to write about

 

1. Briefly introduce the key marketing theory or theories that will be underpinned in your report

 

19. Answer the question by applying the key marketing and customer relationship management theory/theories to your chosen organisation, i.e. critically analyse the factors that influence your organisations quality systems and controls for customers in times of crisis like COVID-19.

 

19. Identify the systems that support your organisations quality processes and provide a critical understanding of the extent to which you think those systems are effective in meeting customer requirements and maintaining good customer relationships in times of crisis like COVID-19.

 

Ensure that your report:

 

1. Demonstrates the application of an appropriate level of critical understanding of quality process (relating to customer service) in the workplace

 

1. Identifies relevant marketing (service) theories/models/methods to analyse the customers’ experience of an organisation

 

1. Critically evaluates the benefits and challenges of developing and maintaining good customer relationships

 

1. Is within the requested word limit of 4,500 +/- 10%

 

1. Uses a suitable report structure (including executive summary)

 

1. Is well presented and professional

 

1. Uses good grammar, spelling, and punctuation

 

1. Uses UWTSD  Harvard  Referencing  Guide  at    https://uwtsd.ac.uk/media/uwtsd-website/content- assets/documents/library-and-learning-resources/infoskills/Harvard-eng_v.1.2.pdf

 

NB: Supplementary Task 300 to 500 words needs to be submitted to Turnitin by Week 6

 

Write an introductory layout/structure for the report. This should include:

 

Briefly outline the main aim of writing this report and introduce the organisation you have chosen to write about (with justification for choosing the organisation). Finally, briefly introduce the key marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) theory/theories or tools that will be underpinned in your report.

 

This introduction will form the basis for your report and can be resubmitted with the final report.

 

 

 

NOTE: The guidance offered below is linked to the five generic assessment criteria overleaf.

 

1. Engagement with Literature Skills

Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s) set. You should provide evidence that you have accessed an appropriate range of sources, which may be academic, governmental and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks, current news articles, organisational documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your sources; academic journals are normally highly credible sources while websites require careful consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources you use should be current and up-to- date, mostly published within the last five years or so, though seminal/important works in the field may be older. You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using a suitable referencing system, including in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list at the end of your work.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment: There should be at least 15 academic references to support your work from a variety of valid and reliable sources. A reference list should be provided using Harvard referencing convention.

 

 

2.    Knowledge and Understanding Skills

At level 5, you should be able to demonstrate: sound knowledge and critical understanding of the well- established concepts and principles of the subject area and the way in which those principles have developed; knowledge of the main methods of enquiry in the discipline. Knowledge relates to the facts, information and skills you have acquired through your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by interpreting the meaning of the facts and information (knowledge). This means that you need to select and include in your work the concepts, techniques, models, theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. meaningfully to show your understanding. Your mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment: You will need to select and include the concepts, techniques, models, theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set which should be related to customer service, quality process, customer experience and engagement, customer relationship management.

 

3.    Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

You should be able to critically analyse information, and propose solutions to problems arising from that analysis, including the critical evaluation of the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems. Your work must contain evidence of logical, analytical thinking, evaluation and synthesis. For example, to examine and break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare and contrast information. This means not just describing what! But also justifying: Why? How? When? Who? Where? At what cost? At all times, you must provide justification/evidence for your arguments and judgements. Evidence that you have reflected upon the ideas of others within the subject area is crucial to you providing a reasoned and informed debate within your work. Furthermore, you should provide evidence that you are able to make sound judgements and convincing arguments using data and concepts, with an understanding of the limits of knowledge, and how this influences analyses and interpretations. Sound, valid conclusions are necessary and must be derived from the content of your work. Where relevant, alternative solutions and recommendations may be proposed.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment: You should critically evaluate your sources and draw appropriate conclusions supported by academic references. That is, sound, valid conclusions are necessary and must be derived from the content of your work.

 

4.    Practical Skills

At level 5, you should be able to use/deploy a range of established techniques within the discipline, and apply underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, including, where appropriate, the application of those principles in an employment context. You should be able to demonstrate how the subject-related concepts and ideas relate to real world situations and/or a particular context. Howdo they work in practice? You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to assess current situations, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, or to create artefacts, some of which may be creative. This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real-world artefacts, examples and cases, the application of a model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one theory or organisation against others based on stated criteria. You should show awareness of the limitations of concepts and theories when applied in particular contexts.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment: You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to assess current situations including COVID-19, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, or to create artefacts, some of which may be creative.

 

 

5.    Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice

Your work must provide evidence of the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision-making. This includes demonstrating: professional development to advance existing skills and acquire new competences that will enable you to assume significant responsibility within organisations; that you can initiate and complete tasks and procedures, whether individually and/or collaboratively; that you can use appropriate media to effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms to specialist and non-specialist audiences; fluency of expression; clarity and effectiveness in presentation and organisation. Work should be coherent and well- structured in presentation and organisation.

 

Guidance specific to this assessment: Follow the generic submission guidelines provided in page 4 and use an appropriate structure to present your work depending on the task

 

 

This section details the extent to which the assessment criteria are demonstrated by you, which in turn determines your mark. The marks available for each category of skill are shown. Lecturers will use the space provided to comment on the achievement of the task(s), including those areas in which you have performed well and areas that would benefit from development/improvement.

 

Generic Assessment Criteria	Marks available	Marks awarded
1. Engagement with Literature Skills .
	10
2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills
	30
3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills
	30
4. Practical Application Skills
	20
5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice
Note: students will be awarded higher marks for the effective classroom engagement	10

 

Assessment Mark (Assessment marks are subject to ratification at the Exam Board. These comments and marks are to give feedback on module work and are for guidance only until they are confirmed. )	Late Submission Penalties (tick if appropriate)		%
	Up to 1 week late (40% Max)
	Over 1 week late (0%)

 

 

 

 

Level 5

In accordance with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, at the end of Level 5 students will be expected to have developed sound knowledge and critical understanding of the well-established concepts and principles in their field of study, and of the way in which those principles have developed. They will have learned to apply those concepts and principles more widely outside the context in which they were first studied, including, where appropriate, the application of those principles in an employment context. They will have knowledge of the main methods of enquiry in the subject area, and ability to evaluate critically different approaches to problem solving. They will possess an understanding of the limits of their knowledge, and how this influences their analyses and interpretations. They will be able to use a range of established techniques to initiate and undertake critical analysis of information, and to propose solutions to problems arising from that analysis. They will be able to effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms to specialist and non-specialist audiences, and deploy key techniques of the discipline effectively. They will be able to undertake further training, develop existing skills and acquire new competences that will enable them to assume significant responsibility within organisations. They will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision-making.

 

Level 5	FAIL	MARGINAL FAIL	SATISFACTORY (3rd / Pass)	GOOD (2.2 / Pass)	VERY GOOD (2.1 / Merit)	EXCELLENT (1st / Distinction)	EXCEPTIONAL (1st / Distinction)
Category	0-29%	30-39%	40-49%	50-59%	60-69%	70-84%	85-100%
Engagement with literature (including reading, referencing, academic conventions and academic honesty)	Little or no evidence of reading and/or reliance on inappropriate sources. Views and findings mostly unsupported and non- authoritative. Referencing conventions used incoherently or largely absent.	Poor engagement with essential reading. No evidence of wider reading. Reliance on inappropriate sources, and/or indiscriminate use of sources. Heavily reliant on information gained through class contact. Inconsistent and weak use of referencing.	Engagement with a limited range of mostly relevant and credible sources. Some omissions and minor errors. Referencing conventions evident though not always applied accurately or consistently.	Engagement with an appropriate range of literature, including sources retrieved independently. Some over- reliance on texts. Referencing may show minor inaccuracies or inconsistencies.	Engagement with a wide range of literature, including sources retrieved independently. Selection of relevant and credible sources. Very good use of referencing, with no/very few inaccuracies or inconsistencies.	Engagement with an extensive range of relevant and credible literature. Consistently accurate application of referencing.	Exceptional engagement with an extensive range of relevant and credible literature. High- level referencing skills consistently applied.
Knowledge and understanding (Sound knowledge and	Major gaps in knowledge with unsatisfactory, uncritical understanding of	Fragmentary knowledge, with only superficial critical understanding.	Limited but adequate knowledge and critical understanding of	Knowledge is reasonably detailed and accurate. A good critical	Knowledge is reasonably extensive. Exhibits very competent	Excellent, detailed knowledge and highly critical understanding of	Exceptionally detailed knowledge and outstanding critical

 

Level 5	FAIL	MARGINAL FAIL	SATISFACTORY (3rd / Pass)	GOOD (2.2 / Pass)	VERY GOOD (2.1 / Merit)	EXCELLENT (1st / Distinction)	EXCEPTIONAL (1st / Distinction)
Category	0-29%	30-39%	40-49%	50-59%	60-69%	70-84%	85-100%
critical understanding of the well- established concepts and principles in their field of study; knowledge of the main methods of enquiry in the discipline.)	the subject matter. Much irrelevant material. Substantial inaccuracies. Significantly flawed understanding of the main methods of enquiry in the discipline.	Some significant inaccuracies and/or irrelevant material. Incomplete or partially flawed understanding of the main methods of enquiry in the discipline.	the well- established concepts and principles within the subject area, with a few gaps in the selection of material. A narrow critical understanding of the main methods of enquiry.	understanding of the well- established concepts and principles and the main methods of enquiry, with minor gaps in the selection of material.	critical understanding of the well- established concepts and principles of the subject and the main methods of enquiry. Breadth and depth of knowledge.	the well- established concepts and principles of the subject and the main methods of enquiry.	understanding of the well- established concepts and principles of the subject and the main methods of enquiry. May go beyond established theories.
Cognitive and intellectual skills (Critical evaluation and analysis of concepts and principles; argument and judgement; the limits of their knowledge, and how this influences their analyses and interpretations.)	Wholly or almost wholly descriptive work. Little or no critical evaluation and analysis of concepts and principles. Failure to develop arguments, leading to illogical or invalid judgements. Unsubstantiated generalisations or opinion, made without use of any credible evidence.	Largely descriptive work, with superficial use of critical evaluation and analysis of concepts and principles. Weak development of arguments and judgements. Information accepted uncritically, uses generalised statements made with scant evidence and unsubstantiated opinions. Ideas sometimes illogical and contradictory.	Limited attempt at critical evaluation and analysis of concepts and principles, tending towards description. Some evidence to support arguments and judgements but these may be underdeveloped, with a little inconsistency / mis- interpretation or failure to fully recognise limits of knowledge.	Some critical evaluation and analysis of concepts and principles, though descriptive in parts. An emerging awareness the limits of their knowledge and ability to use evidence to support the argument though with some tendency to assert/state opinion rather than argue on the basis of reason and evidence. Mostly valid arguments and logical judgements.	Sound critical evaluation and analysis of concepts. Is selective in the range of evidence used and synthesises rather than describes. Ability to devise arguments that show awareness of different stances, and use evidence convincingly, to support appropriate and valid judgements.	Excellent critical evaluation and analysis of concepts and principles leading to logical, evidence-based, reasoned arguments and judgements. Explicit recognition of other stances and a strong awareness of the limits of their knowledge. A capacity for independent thought and ability to ‘see beyond the question’, suggesting some grasp of the broader field and wider concepts.	Outstanding critical evaluation and analysis of concepts and principles. Uses evidence exceptionally well to connect ideas, and support highly logical and persuasive, arguments and judgements. Evidence of independent thought and ability to ‘see beyond the question’, suggesting a clear grasp of the broader field and wider concepts. Perceptive recognition of

 

Level 5	FAIL	MARGINAL FAIL	SATISFACTORY (3rd / Pass)	GOOD (2.2 / Pass)	VERY GOOD (2.1 / Merit)	EXCELLENT (1st / Distinction)	EXCEPTIONAL (1st / Distinction)
Category	0-29%	30-39%	40-49%	50-59%	60-69%	70-84%	85-100%
							the limits of their knowledge, and how this influences their analyses and interpretations.
Practical skills (Apply underlying concepts and principles more widely outside the context in which they were first studied; use a range of established techniques; propose solutions to problems arising from analysis.)	Limited or no use of established methods, materials, tools and/or techniques. Little or no appreciation of the context of the application. Limited understanding of the application of theory to practice or making appropriate links between the two. Very weak problem-solving skills outside the context in which they were first studied.	Rudimentary application of established methods, materials, tools and/or techniques but without consideration and competence. Flawed appreciation of the context of the application. Weak understanding of the application of theory to practice, with only occasional evidence of making appropriate links between the two. Weak problem- solving skills outside the context in which they were first studied.	An adequate awareness and mostly appropriate application of established methods, materials, tools and/or techniques. Basic appreciation of the context of the application. Theoretical knowledge and understanding applied in practice, but not always making logical links between the two. Can identify problems and propose basic solutions outside the context in which they were first studied.	A good and appropriate application of established methods, materials, tools and/or techniques. Clear appreciation of the context of the application. Mainly consistent, accurate and logical application of theory to practice, making appropriate links between the two. Can identify problems and propose mostly appropriate solutions outside the context in which they were first studied.	A very good application of a range of established methods, materials, tools and/or techniques. Very good consideration of the context of the application, with perceptive insights. Consistent, accurate and logical application of theory to practice, making appropriate links between the two. Can identify problems and propose appropriate solutions outside the context in which they were first studied. Evidence of some creativity.	An advanced application of a range of established methods, materials, tools and/or techniques. The context of the application is well considered, and insightful. Consistent, accurate and logical application of theory to practice, making well-developed links between the two. Can identify problems and propose excellent, creative solutions outside the context in which they were first studied.	Exceptional levels of application and deployment skills using established methods, materials, tools and/or techniques. Consistent, accurate and logical application of theory to practice, making highly developed links between the two. Can identify routine and non-routine problems and propose quite sophisticated, creative solutions outside the context in which they were first studied.
Transferable skills for life	Communication medium is	Communication medium is poorly	Can communicate in	Can communicate	Can communicate	Can communicate	Can communicate

 

Level 5	FAIL	MARGINAL FAIL	SATISFACTORY (3rd / Pass)	GOOD (2.2 / Pass)	VERY GOOD (2.1 / Merit)	EXCELLENT (1st / Distinction)	EXCEPTIONAL (1st / Distinction)
Category	0-29%	30-39%	40-49%	50-59%	60-69%	70-84%	85-100%
and professional practice (Effectively communicate in a variety of forms to specialist and non-specialist audiences; the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision-making.)	inappropriate or misapplied. Work is poorly structured, disorganised and/or confusingly expressed. Very weak use of language and/or very inappropriate style. Failure to work effectively as part of a group. Little or no evidence of the skills for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision- making.	designed and/or not suitable for the audience. Work is poorly presented in a disjointed manner. It is loosely, and at times incoherently, structured, with information and ideas often poorly expressed. Weak use of language and/or inappropriate style. Flawed approach to group work, meeting only partial obligations to others. Limited evidence of the skills for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision- making.	a suitable medium for the audience but with some room for improvement. Mostly ordered presentation and structure in which relevant ideas / concepts are reasonably expressed. Work may lack coherence in places. Can work as part of a group, meeting most obligations to others but perhaps with limited involvement in group activities. Demonstrates the basic skills for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision- making, with some areas of minor weakness.	effectively in a suitable medium for the audience, but may have minor errors. Mostly coherent, organised work, in a suitable structure and is for the most part clearly expressed. Can work effectively independently and/or as part of a team, with clear contribution to group activities. Demonstrates the skills for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision- making, with some areas of strength and some of minor weakness.	well, confidently and consistently in a suitable medium for the audience. Work is coherent, fluent, well-structured and organised. Can work very well autonomously and/or as part of a team, with very good contribution to group activities. Demonstrates very good skills for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision- making, with just occasional minor weakness.	professionally confidently and consistently in a suitable medium for the audience. Work is coherent, very fluent and is presented proficiently. Can work autonomously with initiative. Where relevant can work professionally within a team, showing leadership skills as appropriate, and meeting obligations. Demonstrates excellent skills for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision- making and an appetite for further development.	with an exceptionally high level of professionalism, highly suitable for the audience. Work is exceptionally coherent, very fluent and is presented professionally. Can work exceptionally well within a team, showing leadership skills. Demonstrates exceptional skills for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision- making and an appetite for further development.