wmin wkshop 4

1. Customer Service NVQ
NVQ Workshop
Rules, Regulations and Legislation
University of Westminster
26th May 2016

2. Workshop objectives
• Review progress after last session
• Identify what current UoW Service Standards are in
place
• Discuss how the Standards are applied across
departments
• Explore escalation procedures and responsibility when a
complaint is unable to be resolved
• Consider the types of legislation that are in place to
protect employees and customers in the workplace
• Identify resources and policies
• Link to evidence for mandatory units F2 and F4

3. Customer Service NVQ assessment
requirements…. that you can….
• Identify Service Standards within the organisation and
your area.
• Define internal and external regulations that may affect
customer service requirements
• Understand how to protect the security of customers and
their property
• Describe your the Health and Safety responsibilities
• Explain your responsibility to deliver customer service
treating customers equally
• Define how customer confidentiality is protected
• Demonstrate an understanding of the legislation and
external regulation that impact on customer service
improvements

4. Definition of a Service Level
Agreement
A contract between a service provider and
customer, it details the nature, quality and scope
of the service to be provided
Also called a Service Level Contract

5. University Sources
• Student Charter
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Academic conduct
• Diversity and Dignity at Work and Study Policy
• Student code of conduct
• Student complaints procedure
• Legal Matters
• Data Protection
• Freedom of Information
• Health and Safety Policy
• Intellectual Property Rights

6. Activity
Review Student Charter
• In pairs, select 3 points from the “you can expect the
university to..” section and 2 points from the “in return
you are expected to..” section
• Discuss and record how this impacts what you do you on
a daily basis?
• Who is responsible for updating the student charter?

7. The Legislative framework
• Rights
• Duties
• Responsibilities

8. Consumer Legislation
 The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading
Regulations 2008
 Sale of Goods Act 1979
 Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982
 Trade Descriptions Act 1968
 Consumer Protection Act 1987
 Distance Selling Regulations 2000
 Equality Act 2010
 Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
 Data Protection Act 1998
•

9. Health and Safety Legislation
• Provide a safe place to work
• Covers employees, customers, partners, contractors, visitors and
members of the public and any other people who could be affected
by the organisations activities
• Must have a written Health and Safety policy ( five or more people)
• All risks must be assessed eliminated or reduced to a minimum
• Outlines the arrangements for the effective planning, organisation,
control, monitoring and review of preventive and protective
measures
• Ensure that employees have access to competent Health and
Safety advice
• Consult employees about their risks at work and current preventive
and protective measures.
• Failure to comply with these requirements can have serious
consequences – for both the organisation and individuals.
• Sanctions include fines, imprisonment and disqualification.
• http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg449.pdf

11. Did you know?
Hazard
• Anything that might hurt you (physically or mentally).
• Examples includes a spilt drink (slipping hazard), a loose wire
(tripping hazard), dust (breathing hazard) or stress or bullying at
work (mental health hazard).
A Risk
• The chance and impact of getting hurt by the hazard
• Is it likely or not very likely
• Plus the impact, i.e. how bad the injury/ill health would be (for
example would it kill you, break a bone, cause a small bruise or
make you sick or unhappy).

13. Health and Safety Activity
• Identify some of the hazards in your workplace
• Risk assessment – consider what precautions/controls are there to
combat it.
• If there was an accident, how serious could the injury/consequences
be
• How likely or unlikely is such an accident/incident to happen
• Are there any additional precautions you/others need to take to be
safe?
• Who is responsible for reducing the risk?

14. Health and Safety at Work
• Spot the hazards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeB7l_O8T6o

15. Data Protection Act 1998
• Controls the way information is handled
• Gives legal rights to people who have information stored
about them.
• Protects the rights of the individuals when we process
their data
• Individuals are wholly responsible for acting within the
law in keeping records about other people
• Data includes email, voicemail, web pages (intranet and
internet), all correspondence, forms and other records

16. DPA 8 Principles - Personal
information must be ……
1. fairly and lawfully processed
2. processed for limited purposes
3. adequate, relevant and not excessive
4. accurate and up to date
5. not kept for longer than is necessary
6. processed in line with the rights of individuals
7. secure
8. not transferred to other countries without adequate
protection.
For more information: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection

17. DATA PROTECTION ACTIVITY

18. Organisations should ensure that they have policies in place
which are designed to prevent discrimination both to stay within
the law, attract the best employees and treat people equally and
fairly

19. The Equality Act 2010
It is unlawful to discriminate against people at work
because of:
• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
•www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/n/8_Equality_Act_2010.guide_for_employers

20. The Public Sector Equality Duty
• Came into force on 5 April 2011
• Applies to public authorities: eg local
authorities, FE and HE bodies, schools, health
bodies, police, fire and transport authorities,
government departments

21. The Public Sector Equality Duty
• The General Duty has three main aims, namely to:
 Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and
victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality
Act 2010
 Foster good relations between people from different
groups. This involves tackling prejudice and promoting
understanding between people from different groups.
 Advance equality of opportunity between people from
different groups. This involves considering the need to:
• remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people due to their
protected characteristics
• meet the needs of people with protected characteristics
• encourage people with protected characteristics to participate in public
life or in other activities where their participation is low.

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Who the general duty applies to
Public authorities listed in Schedule 19 of the Equality Act (e.g.
local authorities, FE and HE bodies, schools, health bodies, police,
fire and transport authorities, government departments).
Public, private, or voluntary organisations carrying out public
functions (including on behalf of a public authority). The Equality
Act uses the same definition as the Human Rights Act 1998 (which
was used for the gender and disability equality duties).

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Advancing equality
Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people with
protected characteristics due to having that characteristic.
Take steps to meet the needs of people with protected
characteristics that are different from people who do not have
that characteristic (including taking account of a disability).
Encourage protected groups to participate in public life and in
any other activity where participation is disproportionately low.

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Benefits of the equality duty
Help public authorities avoid discriminatory practices and integrate
equality into their core business.
Ensure services are more appropriate to users which are more efficient
and cost-effective, improving public satisfaction.
Build a supportive working environment to increase productivity. More
representative organisations can draw on a broader range of talent.
Using up to date equality information can lead to better decision-
making and policy development.

25. The PSED implications for you
• The equality duty applies across your work (e.g.
services, policy-making, employment, planning,
procurement, statutory decision-making).t policies.
• Consideration of equality matters should be an integral
part of decision-making. The duty must influence the
final decision.
• Third parties exercising public functions for a public
authority must comply with the duty.

26. Charter marks and quality marks on
your website

27. NVQ review