Unit two: Principles of providing administrative services
Assessment
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Please note that this Assessment document has 9 pages and is made up of 9 Sections.
Name
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 |
|Computer telephone integration |This option links two systems together, the computer and the |
| |telephone systems. When someone calls up, the telephone rings and a |
| |dialog box will appear on the computer screen with options for |
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INFORMATION SYSTEM CASE STUDY Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The Great-West Life Assurance Company the largest stockholder-owned insurance company in Canada, and a member of the Power Financial group of companies. We are searching for a new enterprise system. We are looking for a structured approach that eliminates the guesswork and makes ...
| |answering it. |
|VoIP |This option allows the business to enjoy free calls and voicemails |
| |sent by the internet. Therefore it needs a fast and reliable |
| |internet connection. |
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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).
First thing to keep in mind at work is that I am always representing my company or business every time I answer the phone or making a call on the business’s behalf.
Example
There is usually a scripted text to be followed – this text is used on each call, as a standard greeting for all incoming and outgoing calls made within the business environment. For instance, I might say: “Field Training, this is Rita, how can I help?”
The purpose of giving a positive image of myself and of the business when making and receiving telephone calls is to promote the business in its best light and provide a professional service right from the start to every costumer or potential costumer. Offering the best possible service should be paramount from the very first moment of answering and making business calls.
Section 2 – Understand how to handle mail
1. Explain the purpose of correctly receiving, checking and sorting mail and packages (both incoming and outgoing).
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Professional handling of mails is vital within an organisation since it is widely used for transfer of equipment and material in the business. Improper handling of mails could result in loss of business / customers / suppliers and economic losses.
This can be due to loss to vital documents, delays in mails, delivered to wrong person, inefficient service being delivered, payment being lost (incoming and outgoing), materials / parts not being delivered on time, dissatisfied customer / supplier which could leave poor image about the organization. Hence making sure that mails are delivered to correct person as soon as possible is vital within a business.
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 |
| Internal post: This is used to transfer documents and circulate |Royal Mail: This is most widely used mail service. It offer wide |
|information around departments and different branches within an |range of mailing options at competitive prices to suit customers |
|organization usually within A4 envelope. Confidential letters are |needs. |
|labelled. | |
| Intranet: This is more popular means to communicating the messages |2. DHL: This is private courier service which gives high quality |
|to large number of people within an organization these days. |service to its customers. It is a bit expensive than Royal Mail but |
| |renowned for its service. It also offer wide of delivery options to |
| |suit customer requirements. |
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What are some important financial decisions that Business Owners face in a slowing economy? It has been said, 'solidly run small businesses actually hold their own during downturns.' (Mark Vintner, a senior economist with first Union Corporation) While all business owners would like to classify themselves as "solidly Run', Here are some of the thing that I believe warrant consideration by any ...
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3. Describe two methods that you can use to calculate postage charges for mail and / or packages.
Using a franking machine shows you on screen how much the package/mail item will cost to send, for a larger item or large parcel using a delivery service such as TNT or Parcel Force may be more appropriate. For example Royal Mail have an automated online service that allows you to find out how much a package would cost to send via there service TNT also provide a similar service. Post have to be sorted according to the urgency and importance as first class or second. You need to know the postal charges for posts of different sizes but also charges for bulk mail. If we need to send am item and guarantee it will be delivered the next working day or same day or if a mail has to be sent on recorded delivery we have to look for postal charges and the time within which the mail has to be sent and send it accordingly.
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.
Main problems that occur are delays, missing deliveries and suspicious mail. To avoid delays all mail is sent at correct time with correct postage on them. To avoid missing deliveries of important documents they can be delivered via recorded deliveries. Any suspicious mail get reported immediately to a safety supervisor and kept in a safe area away from all staff.
2. Explain the purpose of following manufacturer’s instructions when using equipment.
It is Important to follow manufacturers instructions for your own safety and to protect your product or purchase. Some instructions are in warning form while others are instructions on how to use that product. Warning instructions are like ‘do not place in contact with fire’ this is because the product is flammable and not following this instruction can cause an explosion resulting to injuries.
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3. Explain the purpose of keeping equipment clean, hygienic and ready for the next user.
It is important to keep equipment clean and hygienic as this brings many advantages to the business. Examples of these advantages include increased reliability and productivity, health and safety compliance, reduced sickness at work place, longer equipment life-span as well as staff satisfaction.
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.
Keeping waste to a minimum in the business environment serves the same purposes it does everywhere else: it decreases the amount of waste a business contributes to the environment (this can include solid waste, wastewater, and carbon emissions).
2. Identify at least two main causes of waste in a business environment.
1) Waste of time and human energy: Business Admin processes are not very well designed and waste time and energy. Some business processes can be redesigned for a computer to save time and energy.
2) Waste of paper and other admin products: Lots of Bus Admin products are kept on paper, such as health care patient records. These could be kept electronically rather than printed every time they’re needed. It’s hard to read people’s handwriting so electronic records tend to be more accurate. So moving to computerisation can really help free up wasted Business Admin time for more important activities, such as dealing with people.
3. How can you keep waste to a minimum in a business environment? Describe at least two ways of doing this.
Keep the faxes, printers and copiers in good working order so that they produce good copies and don’t ‘eat’ copies and jam. Order good quality paper that is the recommended weight for the office machines. Eliminate the conformation page of the fax by changing the settings. Periodically ask everyone to purge their desks of excess pens, stickers, sticky notes and other supplies. Order a reasonable amount of supplies for a shot period so there is not a feeling of oversupply and that usage doesn’t matter. Set expectations that people do not take supplies home with them, or use printers/copiers for excessive amounts. Organise supplies and remove those that are out of date. Request that people ask for supplies from a specific person by a deadline. Turning off equipment and lights will also help reduce waste.
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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 |
| |This is a meeting that takes place on a regular basis either weekly |
| |or fortnightly with the manager with regards to any project that is |
|Standing meeting |in progress, these meetings last till the completion of the project |
| |and they have general format for agenda and minutes. |
| |These meetings are held generally to inform the team about any new |
| |changes made in processes and procedures. In this meeting there is a|
|Presentation |presenter or two and in the end, the attendees have the opportunity |
| |to ask questions. |
| |This meeting is organised with high planning and structure, |
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Types of meeting Meetings come in all shapes and sizes, of course. Here are some types: • chat (informal discussion) with colleagues at the coffee machine. • brainstorming among colleagues: where as many ideas as possible are produced quickly, to be evaluated later. • project meeting / team meeting of employees involved in a particular activity. • department/departmental meeting. • meeting with ...
| |moderated by a chair person. The number of participants depends on |
|Conference |the purpose of the conference. |
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2. When arranging a meeting:
• What sources and types of information are typically needed?
• How should meetings be arranged?
The purpose of the meeting has to be considered.
Find out the best time to hold the meeting so that it does not conflict with any other important appointments of the people involved in the meeting.
The venue has to be chosen in such a way that it is easily accessible by all the attendees.
Plan the length of the meeting, considering the visitors and the number of issues that need to be discussed.
Plan about refreshments that will be provided, and who will be in charge.
Gather agenda items and prepare them in the proper format and order.
If responsibilities need to be distributed among different people, make of a list of who will be doing what.
Make sure that the person facilitating the meeting knows what needs to be achieved at the meeting and is aware of the time the meeting should last.
Section 6 – Understand procedures for organising travel and accommodation arrangements
1. Explain the purpose of confirming instructions and requirements for business travel and accommodation.
If you check back with the person who’s issuing the instructions, and find out exactly what they need, then you are less likely to make an error when booking (which could be costly if you get it wrong, as incorrect bookings are often not refundable).
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 |
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3. Explain the purpose of keeping records of travel / accommodation arrangements in a business environment.
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.
2. Identify the information needed to maintain a diary system in the workplace.
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?
2. Explain why customer service should meet or exceed customer expectations. Include at least three reasons in your answer.
3. Explain the importance of building positive relationships with customers. Outline two ways in which this can be achieved.
4. How do customers demonstrate their own needs and expectations?
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?
2. Describe how a receptionist can present a positive image of themselves and the organisation and explain why this is important.
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.
Once you have completed all 9 Sections of this Assessment, go to www.vision2learn.com and send your work to your tutor for marking.