Customers Of Vikings Services example essay topic

Table Of Contents SUMMARY OF INDUCTION 1 SUMMARY OF THE INDUCTION PROGRAMME AT VIKING 2 ORIENTATION CHECKLIST 3 INDUCTION CHECKLIST (TRAINING) 4 VIKING'S CALL CENTRE INDUCTION AGENDA 5 INDUCTION EVALUATION 7 APPENDIX 9 Orientation - Table of Contents 9 Welcome to Viking 10 Coles-Myer 11 An Australian Company 11 Our Values 12 Viking's Mission Statement 13 Why You Were Chosen As A Viking Employee! 14 Empowerment 15 You Are Viking! 16 Chronology of Key Events 17 Viking Australia History 18 Organisational Chart 20 Production Capabilities 21 Why has Viking become so Successful? 22 How can you contribute to Viking?

23 Our Business Priciples 23 First Aid Officers 25 Fire Wardens 26 Evacuation Procedure 27 The Local Area - North Rocks 28 General Expectations 30 Catalogues 31 Viking's Range Of Catalogues 32 Catalogue Codes 33 Private Sale Catalogues 34 How Do We Compile A Mail Shot? 35 What Are Remails? 36 The Steps Involved to Process an Order 37 The Basic Phone Order Flow 38 Web-site Information 39 Glossary Of Terms 40 Summary Of Induction Induction is the first step in building a two-way relationship between the organisation and the employee. When employees first join the organisation it is an unique opportunity for the organisation to harness the moment and express how valuable this opportunity is for both parties as this is the time which to utilise all of the motivation, enthusiasm and ideas that starting a new role will bring.

As the pressure of workload increase this opportunity then diminishes. It is therefore important that each new employees member is supported and given every opportunity to be integrated into the business. A rigorous and well-planned Induction process is key in achieving this. The transition to the new workplace is made easier and more effective for both the new employee and the employer if there is an effective induction process eg; following objectives covered... The organisation; . The department; .

The organisational policies; and. Their own key performance indicators... All aspects of the employment relationship; . The organisational structure; . All communication channels within the organisation; . The geography of the workplace.

Benefits of Induction include: . Avoiding any doubt on the part of the new employee, especially in respect of levels of quality of performance required by the organisation; . Giving the new employee a sense of certainty in not only their job but their total professional environment; . Avoiding any possible personal grievance actions through the failure of the employer to adhere to Performance Management procedures. Summary Of the Induction Programme At Viking When looking at the Viking induction process it is extremely hard to fault, as this process is driven towards the well being of both parties the "organisation - employer" and the "employee".

This process starts from: . The commencement "letter of offer" which is sent to the new employee with contains a starter pack explaining all the necessary details that they may require... The first day where it is all about the "meet and greet" process, which then blends into the orientation process... The Induction "training" process then really start's to focus on the individual departmental objective's, which in the call centre's case is approximately two weeks in length, however the whole process is looked at over a one Month period... One of the most important parts of the induction process is the time Viking takes as a whole to ensure that the feedback from the "evaluation process" is utilised for the benefit of the organisation and not pushed aside. Attached and in order are the following checklists that display how the "Induction" process is delivered and also to what time frame it is delivered in: .

Orientation Checklist. New Hire Checklist. Induction Training Checklist (first five days). Induction Evaluation Checklist. Orientation Program "Booklet" (I have attached this as a whole due to the important directional focus of the organisation towards expectations of the employee towards the company's value's of Fanatical Customer Service "FCS". As a whole Viking looks at empowering the employee through the Induction process by drilling down into segmentation's of each process that is expected in their daily role through multiple method's such as, communication and training with peers and managers (employers) as well as the overall organisation goals and value's.

If the employee does not understand what the role is, how it "FIT's" into the organisation, who is who or what are the actual expectations of the role then why have an Induction programme? Viking looks at the benefits, expectations, and overall structure of roles and the organisation so each employee understands exactly what is from them and what is expected from the employer. Viking looks at ensuring the best "FIT" from the employee's perspective and as well from the employer's perspective as with out this no matter how hard you try "square pegs do not "FIT" into round holes. What are my thoughts on Vikings Induction Programme: Simply if I need to look at an induction programme in the future I will be ensuring that I have a copy of this one tucked away for safe, keeping. Orientation Checklist DAY ONE Time Agenda Activity 9 - 9.30 Welcome to Viking Introduce each other activity.

Use snakes to pair people up and interview the following person. Ask: Family, prior job, attraction to job, years of customer service experience, interests, favourite movie / TV show. Present. Add up years of C / S history.

9.30 - 10.30 Welcome to Viking Overview Video, Orientation book, values, mission and philosophies Morning Tea 11.00 - 12.00 Viking Introduction cont. Policies Lunch 12.30 - 1.30 Tour of Warehouse and Corporate Take trainees around Viking 1.30 - 2.00 Introduction to Catalogues Given order entry book and catalogues. Given 15 mins to look through catalogues. Write down 5 observations. Discuss. 2.00 - 2.45 Introduction to AS 400 Discuss the importance and trainees sit at terminals and begin logging in.

Break 2.45 - 4.30 Order entry Screens Order type, header screen, detail screen, Price orders 4.30 - 4.45 Debrief Trainees encouraged asking questions and debriefing day. Revise some of the key issues. DAY TWO Time Agenda Activity 9 - 9.30 Welcome and Review Review what was discussed in day two. What were your impressions of the organisation? Induction Checklist (Training) NEW HIRE TRAINING CHECKLIST To Do Form required Contact Form Sent Action Complete 1 AS 400 Access AS 400 New User Request Form Lorraine 29/05/2003 Yes 2 ID Tags Security Request Kelly Tritt on 29/05/2003 Yes 3 PC Access / Email Network & Email Access Form Carl Shen / Fraser 29/05/2003 Yes 4 Training Manual Book Melissa Molloy 29/05/2003 Yes 5 Name Plates Email Leeann e Williams 29/05/2003 Yes 6 Coffee Mugs Email Laura 29/05/2003 Yes 7 Extension List Email Flo 29/05/2003 Yes Viking's Call Centre Induction Agenda Day 1 Time Topic Suggested Activity Reference 9 - 10: 30 am Greeting / Orientation Do interviews in pairs, general chat. Give details on amenities, kitchens etc.

Overview of Viking - Values, missions and philosophies. Laura - orientation handbook Break 10: 45 - 11: 30 Orientation cont. Laura - orientation handbook 11: 30 - 12: 00 Order Entry Manual and G book Allow 15 min to look through the G book and hand out OE manual. Explain AS 400 and were to find Viking Acct numbers and codes on a customers catalogue.

G Book and OE manual Lunch 12: 30 - 12: 45 Logging on Have trainees sit at terminals and begin to log on to the system. Password for PC (Au-Trainer / Sydney) Password for AS 400 (orderent / orderent ) Explain keys used to navigate the system emphasise the TAB key 12: 45 - 2.00 First 4 screens in Order Entry 1. Order type and Account number - explain how orders are placed and how we access the account 2. The Header Screen - What info can be found and what needs to be completed to move on. 3. The Detail Screen - What info can be found and how to change lines enter products etc.

4. Total Screen - emphasise importance of totalling order and advising h / fee. Break 2.15-4.15 First 4 screens in Order Entry Discuss Handling fee what it is for and also discuss freight charges and when they are applied to a customers order. Line Comment Sheets 4.15-4.30 Debrief Discuss day briefly and let go early Day 2 Time Topic Suggested Activity Reference 9 - 9: 30 Revision Revise yesterday's screens.

Questions and Answers 9: 30 - 9: 45 Call Flow Discuss Call Flow Manual p 12 9: 45 - 10: 30 Practice Using all four screens using G book and entering lines / changing /sale pricing. Practise moving between screens and the functions that are used to do this. Break 10: 45 - 12.00 Function Keys Begin with the function keys that are used when entering an order starting with the header screen. Give lots of examples of each and allow practice time before moving on Manual p 14-24 Lunch 12.30-2.30 Function Keys Continue with Function Keys Manual p 14-24 2.30-4.30 Buddying Buddying Break 4.30-5.00 Review of Day Discuss afternoon on phones, questions etc. Day 3 Time Topic Suggested Activity Reference 9 - 9: 30 Revision Revise all of yesterday's content, through questions, a game, scenarios etc. 9.30-10.30 Continue with Functions Continue with function keys Manual p 14-24 Break 10.45-12 Continue with Functions Continue with function keys Manual p 14-24 Lunch 12.30-2.00 Keying Faxes Very simple faxes for processing.

Either in pairs or individually 2.00-4.30 Buddying Listening for correct order flow and how to access information for the customer 4.30-5.00 Review of Day Discuss calls any questions etc Day 4 Time Topic Suggested Activity Reference 9.30-10.30 Revision Revise all of yesterday's content, through questions, a game, scenarios etc. G book Race, mark out lines on floor and first person to end will win a prize by finding the correct page numbers for certain products Break 10.45-12.00 Catalogues Give each trainee a copy of the current sale catalogues as well as G book. Discuss Sale pricing and what prices to quote customers. Do Catalogue Quiz back of manual. Copies of current catalogues Lunch 12.30-1.30 Keying Fax's Practise Role play using Fax's Fax's 1.30-2.30 Order Entry Main Screens Stress that these screens have been seen already, it is just a different way of accessing information. Give examples of each screen and have trainees practice with these screens Manual p 26-36 Break 2.45-4.30 Buddying Making notes of any questions or different approaches things liked / disliked 4.30-5 Review of Day Discussion of calls and experiences Day 5 Time Topic Suggested Activity Reference 9.00 - 9: 30 Revision Revise all of yesterday's content, through questions, a game, scenarios etc.

9.30 - 10.00 Compatibility Quiz Complete quiz, discuss answers Manual pg 75 10.00 - 10.30 New Account Set Ups Discuss Differences between prospects and established accounts Break 10.45-11.00 New Account Set Ups Start with Flow Chart Manual pg 38 11.00-12.30 New Account Set Ups Step-by-Step fields required setting up new account. Read thru manual then do each field one by one on system Manual pg 41 Lunch 145 - 4.45 On the floor Reps back at their own stations. 4.45 - 5.00 Debrief Clarify issues / assess calls Induction Evaluation EVALUATION COMPANY: DATE: SESSION NAME: TRAINER: Melissa Molloy PARTICIPANT NAME: (optional) Would you kindly rate this session overall: Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor Would you kindly evaluate the trainer: Excellent Poor Trainers presentation skills 5 4 3 2 1 Trainers subject knowledge 5 4 3 2 1 Trainers ability to interact with students 5 4 3 2 1 Please evaluate the session: Excellent Poor Course content and structure 5 4 3 2 1 Course materials and presentation 5 4 3 2 1 Course relevance to your work environment 5 4 3 2 1 Please explain your evaluation: What are the three most valuable things you have learned from the session? 1 2 3 What recommendations would you make to improve this session in terms of: (The trainer, videos, materials, content, comfort, group interaction, other?) Please complete the following statements in whatever way is most appropriate for you: The course made me feel: I liked: I didn't like: I wish we had time to: I'd also like to say: Thank you so much for your participation. I hope you enjoyed the session Appendix Orientation - Table of Contents Welcome to Office Works & Viking! Coles-Myer - An Australian Company Our Values Our Mission Statement Why You Were Chosen As A Viking Employee!

Empowerment You Are Viking! Chronology of Key Events Viking History Organisational Chart Production Capabilities Why has Viking become so Successful? How can you contribute to Viking? Our Business Princ First Aid Officers Fire Wardens Emergency Contingency & Evacuation Procedure The Local Area - North Rocks General Expectations Catalogues Viking's Range Of Catalogues Catalogue Codes Private Sale Catalogues How Do We Compile A Mail Shot? Remails The Day In The Life Of An Order The Basic Phone Order Flow Web-site Information Glossary Of Terms Welcome to Viking On behalf of the management team and employees of Viking Office Products, we would like to formally welcome you. You are now officially part of the Viking family and we believe you will enjoy all your experiences here.

You are now a part of an organisation that has operated in Australia for 9 years and in early 2003 become a subsidiary company of Officeworks Superstores (Coles Myer). Officeworks' acquisition of Viking on 3rd January 2003, has meant we are now a part of Australia's largest retailer of office supplies. While both organisations share the same passion for customer service and the desire to be Australia's first choice in office supplies, they continue to operate as competitors in the market place. To understand the overall organisation, Officeworks has more than 63 stores and is Australia's largest retailer of office supplies, catering specifically for the needs of small to medium size businesses, home offices and students alike. With more than 7,000 office products under the one roof, Officeworks Superstores offer customers the convenience of one-stop shopping for their office supplies, equipment and services.

Officeworks employs 2,800 people to cater specifically to the needs of their customers. Viking in contrast operates call centres and distribution centres across three states (VIC, NSW & WA), focusing on 'direct marketing' as opposed to retail sales. There are 290 employees who work for 'Viking'. The combined strength and size of Officeworks and Viking, allow us to offer unique benefits to all our customers and employees, whilst always remembering that our single most important asset is our people.

Viking is now in a rapid growth phase, which means that you " ll have an exciting opportunity to grow and develop if you are committed, flexible and dedicated to getting the job done. In response, Viking will be committed to providing you with support and technologies to make your job easier, which in turn raise our level of service. Ultimately though, your success lies with you and the enthusiasm you show today will suitably prepare you for a rewarding career at Viking. Over the next few weeks you are to begin an exciting adventure.

During your training you will discover whom Viking is, what were about and your role in Viking's future success. You can be assured that at Viking you are a valued member of the team and will be given the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. Think of the following Orientation booklet as a prospectus and let it help confirm why you " ve made the right decision to come and work for Viking. As it is impossible to cover everything here, if you have any questions, problems or are in doubt as to how policies affect you, please feel free to ask your Manager or Human Resources Manager. Either will do everything they can to make your time at Viking a happy and successful one. Coles-Myer An Australian Company Officeworks is part of Coles-Myer.

Therefore, as a Viking employee you have the opportunity to grow and develop within this large Australian owned organisation. So to give you an overview of where you fit it... here are some facts about Coles-Myer... Operates around 1800 stores in Australia and New Zealand. Is listed on the stock exchanges of Australia, London, New York and New Zealand. Is Australia's largest non-government employer with over 160,000 staff. Operates the following retail brands: Coles, Bi-Lo, Myer, Grace Bros, Mega mart, Kmart, Target, Liquor land, Officeworks, Vintage Cellars, Harris Technology, Shop fast and Emerging Businesses...

Company Chairman is Mr Richard All ert and Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director is Mr John Fletcher. Spends around $19 billion a year buying merchandise and services from over 61,000 suppliers. Has over 580,000 shareholders. The majority of Coles Myer's non-employee shareholders are "mums and dads", holding 5,000 or less shares... Is Australian-owned, with a head office located in Melbourne, Victoria. Is more than 100 years old.

Coles Myer's Vision Coles Myer Ltd. will create benefits for its stakeholders - its customers, staff, suppliers and shareholders - by being the best retailer in every market in which the company operates. We will achieve this goal by: . Meeting customer needs through dynamic, innovative, retail businesses, which are leaders in value and service... Recruiting, training and promoting outstanding people who are selected and rewarded solely on merit... Building long term, mutually beneficial supplier relationships... Providing consistently superior returns to shareholders...

Being a responsible and caring corporate citizen. We will be known for honesty, leadership and open and responsive communication. We will set standards of best practice. We create and welcome change. We aim for simple and productive internal structures. We make optimum use of our retail and management knowledge, our technology and the talents of our people.

Whatever we do, we do with integrity. Over time, we aim to be the best retailer in the world, not by our standards but by those of others. Our Values Our mission at Viking is simple - to impress each individual customer so much, that they WANT to buy from us again. We have an entrenched belief that our employees need to continually demonstrate FANATICAL customer service for us to achieve this.

This means surprising our customers with personal and exceptional service and exceeding their expectations 100% of the time. We appreciate our customers can buy their office supplies from a variety of retailers, so it is imperative that we build relationships and provide them with reasons to return. Even though our prices are competitive, it is our "fanatical" service that keeps our customers buying from Viking. Likewise, it is our services which include, free overnight or same-day delivery, no hassle returns, open account credit, one year unconditional guarantee and many more.

At Viking our values are entrenched within our culture and we have a firm believe that to be successful they must be lived and breathed. Respect for the individual " We value diversity across the Company " We praise publicly and provide constructive feedback' " We listen; we understand and we are responsive to each other " We treat every employee, customer and supplier with honesty, dignity and respect". We provide a safe place to work for our employees and to shop for our employees and to shop for our customers. Fanatical Customer Service " We impress our customers (internal and external) so much that they want to buy from us again". We give higher priority to people than to tasks". We do it right the first time but "wow" our customers on recovery when we miss.

Excellence in Execution " We are committed to grow shareholder value". We consistently involve employees at all levels toward the relentless improvement of our business". We hold ourselves and our teammates accountability for results". We strive for perfect execution every day". We reward innovate 9 on and intelligent risk taking". We celebrate the wins.

Viking's Mission Statement Viking sells office products to small and medium size businesses nationwide through innovative, aggressive direct marketing catalogues and programs. To be successful and grow our company, while each of us advance our careers and benefit our families, we are committed to the following: 1. That every customer, large or small, receives our best honest and personal service. 2.

That each of our efforts result in so impressing our customers that they want to buy from us again. 3. That we provide quality business products at significant savings while generating acceptable profits for our company. 4. That we strive to provide "Same Day or Next Day Delivery" to all our customers nationwide. 5.

That Viking grow at a healthy rate, producing exceptional results through effective and aggressive marketing, intelligent cost control and involved, results-oriented management. 6. That each employee take responsibility for maintaining our business and for recognising needed changes to "fix" that which is not acceptable. 7. That Viking be recognised by its employees, customers and suppliers for EXCELLENCE, INTEGRITY AND MARKET LEADERSHIP. Viking's Value Statment 8.

Every employee, customer and supplier will be treated honourably and with mutual respect in all matters. 9. Every employee will be compensated fairly and afforded career opportunities in accordance with his / her skills, personal effort and future potential. Why You Were Chosen As A Viking Employee! Viking believes that its employees' are its most valuable asset and to be successful you need the right people.

Therefore we place a great emphasis on recruiting. We don't just focus on your technical skills, we look for personal attributes and qualities that our customers will respond too. In other words, you have been selected because of the person that you are, not just for the technical skills you have to fulfill the task. Qualities that are important to Viking: . COMPASSION & CARING. RESPONSIBILTY.

SENSE OF HUMOUR. STRONG CUSTOMER SERVICE. FLEXIBILITY The above characteristics are essential when dealing with customers and fellow colleagues. We receive hundreds of letters each year from our customers complimenting our employees on their manner, general attitude and professionalism. We are renowned for our service and now in your new role you too can help to strengthen these relationships. Empowerment Dictionary Definition: To give (someone) the power or authority to do something Viking Definition: To have the power or authority to always say YES You Are Viking!

Even though we may sell the very best office equipment and provide an excellent delivery service, it is when our customers hear you on the telephone, that they form an opinion of us... thus... YOU ARE VIKING! You are the person who influences whether our customer's call back. The way you sound and what you say greatly impacts how the customer feels and consequently what they " ll tell people about Viking. Therefore, it is essential to make our customers feel important and feel as though we appreciate the time that they " ve taken to place the order. You are often the first contact the customer will have with us, so it is extremely important that you make a lasting impression.

Think about your own experiences with Call Centres... What do you expect as a customer? Use this insight to control your calls and provide the service that you expect. Chronology of Key Events 1960: Viking founded by Rolf Oster n in Los Angeles, California 1990: IPO - Initial Public Offering, Viking goes public on the Nasdaq stock market Viking's first launch into Europe: opening of Leicester, United Kingdom 1991: 2nd Public Offering. All debt eliminated. Database Marketing begins with individualized catalog covers.

1993: Opening of Sydney, Australia Call Center & Distribution Center 1996: January: Opening of Melbourne, Australia Distribution Center Bruce Nelson appointed President & COO Irwin Hel ford continues as Chairman of the Board & CEO June: Sales reach ONE BILLION DOLLARS 1998: May: Viking and Office Depot announce Merger Agreement August: Viking and Office Depot merger approved. Viking becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Office Depot, Inc. Combined revenues total $9 billion, the largest supplier of office products in the world. 1999: December: Consolidated revenues for Office Depot & Viking worldwide exceed $10 billion. 2000: October: Viking launches Internet in Australia: web 2001: February: Viking Australia wins Country of the Year April: Viking Australia announces acquisition of Sands & McDougall in Western Australia. August: Viking ships first same day delivery to Perth metro customers.

December: Viking Australia Managing Director, Anne Cashman is promoted to Senior Vice President and General Manager of US Viking. 2002: March: Chris Furtado joins Viking as Managing Director August: Viking and Office Depot announce Sale of Viking 2003: January: 3rd - Sale Official. Viking now a whole-owned subsidiary of Officeworks Superstore August: Chris Furtado left the Viking Business as Managing Director. Andrew Thompson assumed the role of General Manager - Direct Businesses. October: Sands and McDougall business merged with Corporate Express. Only the distribution centre remained with five full time employees.

Viking Australia History In August 1993, Viking Office Products was incorporated and a success story began to unfold. Viking Australia opened its doors and commenced trading from 23 Pike St, Rydalmere on the 25th October 1993. Our very first order was taken at 10.00 am on that day, the first of over 100! Our first repeat order was taken the very next day. The customer was so impressed when he received his goods on the morning of the 26th October that he rang to place another order.

That was the beginning of our FANATICAL CUSTOMER SERVICE! On the 25th November 1993 (exactly one month after opening) Viking received over 1000 orders. In one month we had a database of 12,418 customers. In the first nine months of trading to June 30, 1994 Viking Australia reported revenue of A$22 Million.

In our first full financial year (ending June 30, 1995) we reported revenue of A$53 Million. In the last financial year (98-99) our total revenue was A$115 Million. When Viking entered the Australian market, there was little, if any, direct marketers in the office products industry. Since then many companies have attempted to imitate the Viking method of reaching its customers through catalogues with varying levels of success. However, rather than concentrating on the competition of our competitors and their activities, Viking choose to focus all its energies on the needs of our people & customers. That is why FANATICAL CUSTOMER SERVICE is so important to us at Viking.

Since we opened our doors in 1993, our business has gone from strength to strength and we are growing at a rapid rate. Viking entered a lease agreement in 1993 to occupy the office and warehouse facility at Pike St, Rydalmere. The lease was signed in the knowledge that the space available would meet our current needs and allow enough space for growth within our first lease period of five years. However, by the end of 1994, only after one year of trading it was obvious that we had outgrown the site. So in early 1995 we were forced to lease additional office space in South St, Rydalmere (one block away from where we were). At this stage there was only one department located off the Pike St site.

As the company grew, it was obvious that to meet the growing needs of our business and 4 more departments moved to the South St site by the end of 1995. At this stage we were also looking for a more permanent solution to our problem. We started looking for new office facilities. We analysed where our employees lived and found a central location of land at North Rocks. In February 1996 we purpose built our new facilities and in October 1996 we moved in and all the office staff were again in one location. Our warehouse staff joined us in July 1998, moving into a brand new warehouse complete with the most modern technology in the Australian office products industry.

In total Viking has invested over $12 Million in building this location. That was a significant investment for a company that had only been operating for almost 5 years. As we kept increasing our business and attracting more customers we were looking for ways in which we could improve the quality of our services. One solution was to open a warehouse satellite in Laverton, Melbourne.

This increased our service to customers in the Western & Southern states of Australia. Melbourne has a distribution centre only and was opened on January 13th, 1996. Therefore all orders are taken in Sydney & packed, picked & shipped in Melbourne. All our Customer Service & Credit enquiries are handled through our call centre in Sydney.

The goods are only shipped out of Melbourne. Approximately 30 people work in Melbourne compared to 210 in Sydney. The warehouse in Melbourne is extremely advanced with up to date technology and ships to places such as Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Tasmania & Southern NSW. It also enables our customers who are in the Melbourne CBD to receive their goods on the same day as ordering.

Viking Australia is constantly changing and will no doubt continue to grow like it has in its first five years of operation. We must remember that our customers will only keep coming back to us and we will continue to keep growing if we ALL provide FANATICAL service to EVERY customer, EVERY time. Organisational Chart Production Capabilities Viking: . currently receives in excess of 3000 orders EVERYDAY! dispatches 100% of all orders taken EVERYDAY! picks & packs over 5000 cartons EVERYDAY! handles over 10000 different stock items EVERYDAY! receives over 4000 customer calls EVERYDAY! strives to maintain below 0.5% in abandon calls EVERYDAY! provides customers in Sydney & Melbourne Metropolitan areas with same day service EVERYDAY! maintains a backorder level of less than 0.5% of sales EVERYDAY! catalogues to prospects and customers across Australia EVERYDAY! serves businesses across the nation EVERYDAY! delivers orders throughout Australia EVERYDAY! opens in excess of 150 new accounts EVERYDAY! Why has Viking become so Successful? From the outset Viking has always been committed to the customer by providing Fanatical Customer Service. We strive to impress our customers (regardless of cost) through dedication and commitment and believe that every Viking employee can make a difference.

The reason our customers return is not just because to our competitive prices, but the services we offer. We will admit that we are not the leaders in offering the lowest prices in stationery, but we are one of the leaders in the service industry. The services that keep us competitive and encourage our customers to return: . 30 day free trial on EVERY product we sell... A one year money back guarantee on ALL our products... Same Day delivery for all our customers in the Sydney & Melbourne Metro areas. (the order must be placed by 11: 30 am).

A dedicated customer service department & product specialists to efficiently handle any customer enquiries or problems... 1800 numbers for customers to call customer service, credit, collections & order entry... Our backorders are kept to a minimum. Our products are rarely out of stock... Flexible hours Monday to Friday 7 am - 7 pm Saturdays 8 am - 3 pm How can you contribute to Viking? The whole purpose of your role at Viking is to ensure that our customers are well looked after.

All we ask is that you continue to serve ALL our customers both internal and external to the best of your capabilities. We aim at Viking to ensure that the service we offer to our customers is beyond their expectations. We believe that if our customers receive great service they are more likely to return to us again and again for their stationery needs. We know that if customers are impressed with our quality of service, they are more likely to spread the word to family and friends and "word of mouth" is by far one of the most effective forms of advertising. Whilst these beliefs benefit the company, what about you? Why should customer service be your priority?

Besides being the reason you were employed, it should be more about the satisfaction that comes from treating people with respect and being respected in return. Your satisfaction should come from knowing that you " re not just doing your job, but performing to the best of your ability. We believe that if you treat people well they will usually respond in the same positive manner, which in turn will make your make role far more enjoyable. Our Business Priciples A CUSTOMER is the most important person in our business A CUSTOMER is a person who brings us wants and needs - it is our job to fill those wants and needs.

A CUSTOMER is not dependent upon us - we are dependent on our customer A CUSTOMER is not an interruption of our work - a customer is the purpose of it A CUSTOMER does us a favour when he / she calls - we are not doing a favour by serving him / her A CUSTOMER is part of our business - not an outsider A CUSTOMER is not a cold statistic - he / she is a flesh and blood human being with feelings and emotions like our own A CUSTOMER is not someone with whom we argue or match wits A CUSTOMER is deserving of the most courteous and attentive treatment we can give A CUSTOMER is the person who makes it possible to pay our salary whether we are a warehouse employee, telephone rep, office employee, manager or president A CUSTOMER is the life-blood of every business First Aid Officers GROUND FLOOR Karen Purvis Financial Services Ext. 4458 Lee-Anne Williams Merchandising Ext. 4479 FIRST FLOOR Jackie Carlo Credit Ext. 5810 Jocelyn Newcombe Credit Ext.

5807 DISTRIBUTION CENTRE Goal Ajit Singh Goods Inwards Ext. (Page) Joe Verano Goods Inwards Ext. (Page) Fire Wardens Chief Warden Brian Rennie (Ground Floor, Merchandising) CALL CENTRE / OFFICE Deputy Chief Warden Lynne Gamble (First Floor, Call Centre) Area Wardens Nay ef Abourizk (Ground Floor, Merchandising) Margaret Gallagher (First Floor, Call Centre) Wardens Kathy Horner (First Floor, Call Centre) Barbara Kerr (First Floor, Call Centre) Liz Kogan (First Floor, Call Centre) Mark Pillow (First Floor, Call Centre) Damien Yee (First Floor, Direct Response) Michael Maria kis (Ground Floor, Merchandising) SYDNEY DISTRIBUTION CENTRE Deputy Chief Warden Ken Davison (Assembly / Dispatch) Area Wardens Charlie As saf ( (Assistant Manager - Receiving) Glen Mansfield (Production Co-ordinator) Dean Williams (Assistant Manager - Returns) Wardens David Cubit t (Goods Inwards / Inventory) Rob Larkin (Transport) Emergency Contingency and Evacuation Procedure 1. Rescue / assist anyone in immediate danger 2. Advise receptionist of location and nature of the emergency Dial 9 (Receptionist will advise Chief Warden and the emergency services) If unanswered / busy /after hours - contact emergency services direct. Obtain an outside line and DIAL 000 The chief Warden / Area Warden / Wardens and other members of the Emergency Control Organisation will assess the situation, take control and issue instructions.

Directions given by the Emergency Control Organisation personnel must be observed. 3. Fight the fire only if you are trained and it is safe to do so. 4. Evacuate the area when instructed by Wardens. When instructed to evacuate, move quickly but in an orderly manner, as directed by Area Warden / Wardens 5.

Proceed to assembly area. If you have a mobile phone take it with you. 6. Remain in assembly area. Do not re-enter the building until authorised to do so. All staff are to make themselves aware of the location of portable fire extinguishers, emergency exits and the location of the assembly area.

To Contact Emergency Services Direct Obtain an outside line - Dial "000" ask the operator for the service you require i.e. Fire / Police/Ambulance. Wait to be connected and calmly advise the operator of: Building: Viking Office Products Location: 15-17 Loyalty Rd, North Rocks OR 219-225 Fitzgerald Rd, Laverton North State clearly the location and nature of the emergency After Hours - Once you have raised the alarm, evacuate the building The Local Area - North Rocks Welcome to the suburb of North Rocks - The home of Viking Office Products. Following is some information about the local area of North Rocks and a list of shops, services & local supplies close to our site. Petrol Stations Mobil - Cnr Statham and North Rocks Rd Banks St George - Westfield Shopping Centre, North Rocks Road ANZ - Westfield Shopping Centre, North Rocks Road Other Services Australia Post - Westfield Shopping Centre, North Rocks Road General Practitioners - 341 North Rocks Road (Doctor's surgery also in Westfield) Optometrist - Westfield Shopping Centre, North Rocks Road Dentist - North Rocks Road Chemist - Westfield Shopping Centre Veterinary Surgery - 262 North Rocks Road Westfield Shopping Centre. Franklins. Hairdresser & Beauty Salon.

Patisserie & Donuts. Poultry Shop. Clothing Alterations. K Mart. Rabbit Photo.

Shoe Repairer. Pet Shop. Health Food. Dymocks.

Coles. Green Grocer. Butcher. Delicatessen. Bakery. Music Shop.

Video-Ezy Food Services Viking makes a point of looking after its employees. One such way is by providing a full catered and subsidised cafeteria called CAF'E VALHALLA (Viking Heaven). You are able to purchase a wide variety of meals from breakfast to snacks to daily menus and sandwiches. You are also able to pre-order your lunch.

Please see Caf'e staff for instructions. The Caf'e closes around 3.30 pm There are also a variety of fast food outlets at Westfield. There are also outlets located in the area such as Pizza Hut, Mass inis Italian Restaurant, Chinese Kitchen & Treasure Chinese Seafood Restaurant. The closest McDonalds is located in Church St, Parramatta.

Transport Harris Park Transport run buses from Parramatta Station to Bee croft via North Rocks Rd. See reception for timetable information General Expectations While every manager has their own expectations for the people in their department, there are some general Viking expectations for everyone who joins our call centre... Punctuality. Good attendance. Honesty. Respect.

Practice safe work habits. Rumours are counter productive. Maintain a positive and flexible outlook. Full days work for a full days pay. Communicate openly.

Always say "yes". Do it right the first time. Be a team player. Take initiative - Be empowered!! Offer suggestions. Learn as much as you can!!

Follow guidelines & procedures within Viking as well as any legislation. Ask questions. Provide Fanatical Customer Service. ".. and Then Some!" service to EVERYONE - our external & internal customers. And... ultimately enjoy yourself!!

"If you find a job you really love - You " ll never work again!" Catalogues Viking mails a wide range of catalogues to their customer's that cater to most business requirements. We target small to medium size businesses via direct mail through catalogues. At present this is our only form of advertising. We do not have a retail outlet and do not have any sales reps. Our catalogue is our "salesperson". Our sole advertising budget is geared towards catalogue marketing.

Examples of the businesses who receive our catalogues: Schools Service Stations Hospitals Builders Solicitors Painters Accountants Hotels / Clubs / Restaurants Churches Office managers & secretaries In the financial year (July 98 - June 99) Viking mailed over 160 million catalogues worldwide. In Australia alone over 10 million catalogues were mailed out to existing and potential customers. Since the catalogues are our only form of sales it is important that you remember, YOU are the first impression the customer has of Viking. YOU are the most important person at Viking. YOU will determine whether that customer returns. Viking's Range Of Catalogues "Y" Book - Prospect "G" Book - General Buyers Guide "GA" Book - General Buyers Guide (Sample Group) "A" Book - Monthly Sale Book SPECIALIST CATALOGUES "F" Book - Furniture Catalogue "I" Book - Imaging Supplies "J" Book - Filing Supplies "T" Book - Technology "W" Book - Warehouse Book "P" Book - Paper Supplies Book "X" Book - Xmas Book Catalogue Codes Each catalogue has its own prefix: - e.g. A 61 The letter indicates which book is being used: - e.g. A Sale Book F Furniture Book G Buyers Guide N Imprint Book P Paper Book The 1st digit refers to Australia; - e.g. A 61 G 67 The second digit refers to the current month: - e.g. A 61 January A 67 July When October is reached 1 is added to the country digit and the current month digit will reflect the month: - e.g. A 70 October P 72 December The "G" book is unique, the numbers after the "G" are the numeric sequence of the catalogue.

The "G" book comes out twice a year, January & June. This book is known by many names - the "big book" or the "Buyers Guide". Private Sale Catalogues Viking also sends out a number of catalogues with ink jetting (personal ising) on the front and back of the catalogues. The reasons for these are varied: -. To reactivate customers (customers who haven't ordered in a while). Informing customers of Vikings services (same day delivery etc).

Cross selling products. Free offers (buy 10 reams of paper get a free post it cube). Offering equivalent Viking Products (Viking diaries instead of Collins diaries) Viking finds that talking to customers on a "one-to-one" basis enables us to develop a deeper relationship with the customer. The customer then feels as though we understand their business needs and what they expect from us. This improves our response rates greatly, which means that we generate more sales and profit.

Viking is striving to be more personalised when sending catalogues, therefore, it is EXTREMELY important for us to obtain the correct information when setting up accounts. How Do We Compile A Mail Shot? The overall mail plan at Viking is prepared each year, prior to the end of financial year. The reason being that marketing budgets are set to determine where there is growth in sales, gross profit and the $$'s to allocate to advertising.

The expiration date for each catalogue is then determined. Some books have a longer life span. For example "A" books usually have a life of five weeks. Specialty books such as the P, K, F etc are all given different "lives" - some of these could be three months, some of these could be four or even up to six months. This means that the pricing within these books will be current for the life of that book.

Expiration dates appear on the front of each catalogue. The mailing schedule is then prepared prior to the new year starting. This schedule includes our selections from our customer base. The procedure is as follows: 1. Data processing bureaus and printers receive a copy of the schedule. 2.

A catalogue is chosen. 3. A list of suitable customers is selected from rented lists & Vikings own database. 4. The information is processed onto a computer tape. 5.

The printers receive the tape and process the catalogues in batches according to geographical area. 6. The printers then lodge our catalogues, which are already sorted into areas, and Australia Post who then delivers these to our customers. What Are Remails? If the same catalogue is mailed again, we call that a remail. Remails are targeted at people who have ordered from that book before.

Remails are sent to reinforce that the catalogue still has a "life" and to prompt for that further order. If a book has two remails the second remail will be identical to the very first book the customer received, however they will have a different keycode. In order to be able to track and analyse results, each and every mailing is treated uniquely. We do this by allocating a 4-digit keycode that appears after the account number. e.g. CO 546895 MNAA This keycode is then tracked back to a particular month & type of buyer e.g. MNAA 08/96 First Time Multibuyer A MULTIBUYER is defined as someone who has purchased more than once in that calendar year.

A SINGLE BUYER is defined as someone who has purchased only once in that calendar year. Selections are targeted towards multibuyer & lapsed customers (someone who has purchased in the previous year but has not since) because we know they have made more than one purchase. The Steps Involved to Process an Order Step 1 It all begins with Merchandising. They determine what products to carry, what the products will sell for, negotiate costs and plan the presentation of the products in the catalogues. Step 2 Then our Creative Services department does the graphic design, layout and creation of our catalogues.

Step 3 Direct Response department determines which catalogues we will mail to which customers and when. They also decide which companies to target as prospective customers. Step 4 The Mail Department helps us too. They send out individual catalogue requests, as well as process our enormous volume of mail.

Step 5 Inventory Control makes sure we have enough stock in our warehouses to fill all our customers orders - without delay. They have the overall responsibility for our backorder level. Step 6 Our Couriers (Comet & Allied) make sure we have everything in place so that we will be able to get the orders to our customer's quickly and economically. Step 7 IS (Information Services) makes sure we have functional systems and equipment to help us assist our customers.

Step 8 Our Accounting team makes sure our bills are promptly paid so that our vendors help us in every way. Of course our payroll officer makes sure we get our pay on time too. Step 9 The Human Resources department helps us make this a great & safe place to work by providing us with benefits & helpful service. Step 10 The Training Department kicks in by helping to develop the staff at Viking & developing training programs unique to Vikings needs. Step 11 Our Distribution Centres are staffed & managed so that we can ship out 100% of our customers orders the same day. Step 12 Our Call Centres are filled with fanatical people, ready & eager to handle any customer need from entering orders to establishing credit.

Then it happens... The customer receives our catalogue and you have the opportunity to provide fanatical customer service. The Basic Phone Order Flow Web-site Information Viking web Officeworks web For your Interest: Coles-Myer web Viking USA web Your Viking Email Address. au Glossary Of Terms Abandon Call - The customer has disengaged their call whilst waiting on the queue. ATL (Authority to Leave) - The customer takes responsibility for the order to be delivered without a person to sign upon delivery. Backorder - When a product is out of stock at the time of ordering, it will be placed on backorder for the customer & will ship out once stock has been received from the supplier. Call Tag - Arranging a pickup of goods to be returned.

Cancelled C / H - Order has been cancelled from credit hold. Card Left - When the courier calls to deliver the goods but no one is in attendance to accept & sign for them, they therefore will leave a card so the customer can call to arrange a second delivery for the goods. COD (Cheque on Delivery) - Only applies to customers in our same day areas. This process is only instigated by the Credit Department. Our drivers will only pick up cheques. They will not pick up cash.

Credit Hold - An order status. This order is being reviewed in credit for many reasons such as they have exceeded their credit limit or they are overdue in paying their invoice etc. Customer Service - The Customer Service department handles all after sales enquiries i.e. returns, missing goods, discounts etc. Customer Service Product Specialist - Looks after the after sales service on all our electrical products e.g. fax machines & copiers. Credit Reject - Customers account has been closed. This could be at the customers request or that we have had problems in terms of collecting on the account.

Any credit reject accounts need to be checked with the credit department. D.O. D (Delivery on Demand) - Continuous Same Day delivery. Only available in Sydney & Melbourne metro areas. Drop Ship - An order that is shipped directly from our suppliers warehouse to the customer. Drop Ship Specialist - Person who co-ordinates the ordering, damaged goods & invoicing on all items that come directly from the supplier. ETA - Estimate time of delivery. Imprint - Products that are personalised - printed with name, address or logo.

In Process - An order status. This order is either still being processed OR has been processed but is in credit to have the credit card debited. Invoiced - An order status. The order has been shipped & invoiced.

MS (Miscellaneous Action) - Usually opened on Same Day delivery enquiries for missing goods, late deliveries or when spare parts are required for merchandise. Basically, it is everything that requires a follow up for a customer. An MS leaves the inquiry open. Credit & Collections will not start collecting on this customer until the problem is resolved. New Customer Audit - An order status.

This account is being reviewed in credit, as it is a new customer. Order Deleted - An order status. Only reflects on the day the order is deleted. POD - Proof of Delivery RA (Return Authorisation) - Also known as a call tag. The customer arranges return of goods purchased through the customer service department. Ready for Shipper - An order status.

When the order has been released from credit & is ready for the packing / picking list to be printed in the warehouse. Same Day - Refers to delivery time for Sydney & Melbourne metro areas. If the customer orders before 11.30 am (10.30 am for Gosford), they will receive the goods the same afternoon. Shipped - An order status. The order has been picked, the carton has been sealed, label has been scanned & the order is ready to be shipped or already shipped. Shipper Printed - An order status.

When the packing / picking list has been printed & the order is ready to be picked or is currently being picked. Tracer (TR) - A method done to locate missing goods or goods that have not arrived to the customer. Tracing Specialist - Responsible for follow up on any goods that go undelivered or are damaged after the first reorder has taken place. They will also negotiate with our courier company on insurance claims. Void - Where an order is to be cancelled & the status shows shipper printed. This is due to various reasons such as the customer has requested it or Viking has made an error when entering the order etc.

Will Call - An order that the customer (or courier) will call & collect from our warehouse.