Boys and Girls Club

Select an organization such as work, school, or a company to which the student has access. Section I
will offer an introduction to the company. Three primary topics are outlined in in Section II and
students may use the text as one reference to describe and analyze the methods the company employs
to manage customer relationship elements in these sections. The discussions may focus on one store or
local outlet for the organization or they may focus on the organization (national or global) as a whole.
In Section III, students will offer a conclusory statement regarding the organization’s customer
relations efforts.
Submittal Process
The paper is submitted in four steps. Step 1 provides the name of the organization and a paragraph
describing and investigating two or three customer contact channels associated with the organization.
Detailed instructions for this step are offered in the Research Paper Assignment Module. Step 2 is an
early, ungraded draft of the paper submitted to preview the SafeAssign percentage. This step permits a
student to review and correct areas that exceed copied content before submitting to Step 3 which is the
graded draft submittal described in these instructions. After the instructor grades Step 3 and provides
feedback, students will submit Step 4: the final, formal research paper.
Elements to describe and analyze
The following instructions require students to examine several customer relationship topics. Students
may begin by describing observations or experiences with the organization under investigation.
However, since this is a research paper, it is not a merely a vehicle for expressing personal opinions.
Instead, the paper requires students to report on customer relationship functions and then evaluate the
effectiveness of those functions according to scholarly research. Students may express personal
opinions in the conclusion, but the body of the research report will focus on examining published,
formal research on the customer relationship areas under observation.
Scholarly Support
Students will cite 6 references including several scholarly articles. Several journal articles are supplied
in the Open Source Reference Articles Module and they may be referenced along with other research
materials. Reference these expert opinions along with any customer service observations or personal
experiences. As each topic is investigated, follow-up the discussions with a comparison to how each
function is or is not operating proficiently according to the experts who have examined similar
elements while conducting other formal research. Give credit to these experts via in-text citations and
list them in the references.
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Section I Introduction to the organization
Use an APA Level 1 heading for this section. Describe the purpose of the paper, identify the
organization, and state the approach to the research. Also, provide background information (historical
perspective, products, services, etc.). Include citations and references identified for this background
information. Size: About one-page total.
Section II Customer Relationship Analysis
Use an APA Level 1 heading for this section. Include a paragraph to introduce the three topics covered
in this section and identify specific methods employed to research them. The topics under this analysis
section will each have a Level 2 heading. This is the main body of the research; it will require a couple
of pages for each of the three major topics in this section. Students will need to read ahead in the
textbook and locate research journal articles in the PBSC library’s databases to complete these topics.
The articles found in the Open Source Reference Articles Module included in this course may be cited
as well.
Topic 1 Identify factors that help organizations demonstrate an ability to negotiate
successfully
Topic 1 requires a Level 2 heading. (Links to Course Outcome CO-2; Lessons 4, 6, 7, 8; Lucas
Chapters 3, 4, 5).
• Examine the channels available for customer service and/or complaint resolution as listed below
(refer to the Zembic (2014) article in the Open Source Reference Articles Module for guidance):
o Social media customer blogs.
o Telephone contacts
o Face-to-face In-store service desk
o Remote customer contact, call center, or help desk
• Employ your negotiation skills (using the verbal and/or nonverbal communication strategies
outlined in Chapters 3, 4, and 5 of the Lucas text), to examine the effectiveness of at least one of
the complaint–handling or service-provisioning channels described above. Nonverbal skills will be
more apparent with the face-to-face “in-store” channel while standard verbal communication skills
will be more apparent in the other channels identified above. Report success in terms of achieving
the desired outcome (i.e., was a satisfactory resolution to the service or product complaint
reached?) Evaluate the overall experience with this customer service/complaint channel. Note: a
previous experience may be described if necessary and appropriate. Support any opinions with
examples and scholarly research.
Topic 2 Examine the impact of culture and diversity on business relationships
Topic 2 requires a Level 2 heading. (Links to Course Outcome CO-4; Lessons 1 & 11; Lucas
Chapters 1 & 8).
• Briefly research historical evidence at the organization for any violation of one or more of the
Federal laws listed below. Seek sources available through the PBSC library databases to complete
this portion of the assignment. If evidence of a violation is indicated, explain how it affected
business/customer relationships. If there was no historical evidence, choose one of the following
laws and discuss how a company violating it might harm business relationships.
o Title VII of 1964 Civil Rights Act
o Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967,
o Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974,
o Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and ADA Amendments Act of 2008,
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o Civil Rights Act of 1991
• Briefly examine evidence for the company’s commitment to embracing customer diversity. For
example, discuss the organization’s commitment to multilingual representatives and accessible
technologies for customers with various types of disabilities. Offer an opinion on how well the
company embraces customers of all backgrounds and cultures. Support any opinions with