HR Managers given helping hand to fill skills gap

In an effort to address employersí needs for an improvement in standards of customer care by their employees, OCR (Oxford Cambridge & RSA Examinations) has launched a new NVQ in customer service.

The new Level 4 qualification follows on from the findings of the National Employersí Skills Survey commissioned by the Learning & Skills Council (LSC) that highlighted skill shortages in the workplace. The report highlighted the fact that 55% of employers questioned identified customer handling as a key skill employees lacked.

The NVQ is aimed at addressing the need and filling the skills gap; it recognises the importance of the customer in business. In fact, according to the Institute of Customer Services (ICS), services now account for eight out of every ten jobs and amount to 70% of Gross Domestic Product, reinforcing the need for nationally recognised standards.

This qualification is suitable for people who work in senior roles within organisations that treat customer service as a priority. It is suitable for candidates working in any sector including finance, telecommunications, retail, manufacturing, public services, utilities, logistics, travel and tourism and IT.

In recognising the need for further qualifications, OCR is reinforcing its commitment to customer service. The OCR Level 2 NVQ award in Customer Service has just been given a listed rate for funding purposes in England, giving those accessing public funds for training a greater incentive to start introducing the awards.

From an employerís point of view it means that employees are trained to a high enough standard to ensure customer satisfaction and consequently, customer retention. It is easy for complacency and bad habits to set in amongst employees and this qualification allows a company to introduce more accountable systems that evaluate and assess employeesí capabilities.

The benefits for the employee are clear but less tangible. The qualification recognises staff importance and shows an employerís commitment to its staff, this in turn has been shown to improve employee relations and help loyalty towards the company. In an environment where employees find themselves often undervalued it helps to show an investment in career development within one company.