Work Experience Report: Customer Service Internship at Kay&Sons

This report details a student's work experience as a trainee intern in customer service at Kay&Sons Recruitment. The report includes an introduction to work-based experience, the chosen company, and the student's role. Task 1 focuses on researching and evaluating the organization, negotiating the internship proposal, and recognizing business constraints. Task 2 outlines the agreed-upon tasks, the work experience plan, and analyzes the benefits to both the business and the learner. Task 3 covers specified requirements, systematic record-keeping, plan revisions, and suggestions for improvement. Task 4 assesses progress, evaluates performance, analyzes learning, and provides recommendations. The report covers various aspects of the internship, including the candidate's tasks, plans, and overall experience and learning gained. The report also highlights the benefits of the internship for both the student and the company, concluding with recommendations for future enhancements.

WORK BASED
EXPERIENCE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Research and evaluation suitable organisation that could provide industry experience. .1
1.2 Negotiate with work and academic supervisors a proposal for work experience ..........2
1.3 Recognise the business constraints on the work experience offered................................3
TASK 2 ..........................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Agree and priorities the tasks ans responsibility involved in work the experience..........3
2.2 Produce a plan for the work experience...........................................................................4
2.3 Analyse benefits of prosed activities to business and learner..........................................5
TASK 3 .........................................................................................................................................6
3.1 specified requirements of placement conforming to related codes of practices ..............6
3.2 Produce systematic records of work undertaken .............................................................6
3.3 Revise initial plan as per required ...................................................................................7
3.4 Make suggestions for improvement and review these with appropriate supervisor........7
TASK 4 ......................................................................................................................................8
4.1 Monitor progress against original proposal .....................................................................8
4.2 Evaluate the quality of own performance.........................................................................8
4.3 Analysing the learning which take place during work experience...................................8
4.4 Make recommendation who experience could be enhanced............................................9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Work based experience refers to opportunities which a person is getting to enhances
his/her skills. It can be paid or unpaid opportunities why which person can get prepared for its
future career (Bakker, 2011). There are different kind of work based experience it can be part
time, full time , summer jobs and internships. Out of this part time and internship are paid
opportunities where voluntary and service projects are unpaid experience. In this person learn to
improve knowledge and serve to community in better ways. In Internship person get chance to
work with employer for particular duration of time.
The company which is considered in this report is Kay&sons recruitment limited. The
company is engaged in recruiting people for different companies. The enterprise is private owned
having its share capital. There is less competitor in market. Firm is located in UK London.
In this report research and evaluation has been done which could provide work
experiences. Various constraints are mention in this report which take place during work
experience (Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). Plan has been produce for work experience. Systematic
records of work is undertaking in this assignment. Evaluation of quality of performance and
recommendation are made so that changes can be done according to requirements. Learing of
work experience is mention in this project.
TASK 1
1.1 Research and evaluation suitable organisation that could provide industry experience
kay&sons is most suitable industry for this report to have appropriate industry
experience. The company is having different kind operation and their their way of working is
developing professionalism and confidence as well. In recruitment sector having different kind
of area where experience can be develop in effective manner. Following are the areas in
recruitment industry.
 Finance management: In consultancy industry finance department is play vital role. In
this the department prepare record and accounts which make easy for them to understand
and evaluate enterprise final position. This is also a part of industry experiences.
 Human resources management: The another area is human resources management where
demand and supply is identify so that candidate can be hired according to job profile. In
this diverse culture environment should be handle in effective manner.
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 Customer care department: The another area which is there in kay&son limited is
customer services. In this issues of candidates are solved and they get informed about
new job and vacancies (Falk, 2016). There is also also a work experience provided where
candidate learn about this field.
 Health and safety department: This another segment where person can get opportunity to
work and get experiences. This department is concern about safety of employees and try
to create health business environment.
 Front desk:In this the person is handling all candidate and organising work in proper
manner. They list the candidate name, provide them application form to fill and send
participant to office one by one. This another area where work based experience can be
get.
These are respective area in which work based experience can be get by a person.
1.2 Negotiate with work and academic supervisors a proposal for work experience
Date- 22th June 2017
Name- Mark
College- UK college business ans computing
Name of employer-
Nature of business- Recruiting
Title of position- Trainee intern for customer services
How this can benefit to me: I think this is very good start for me and it help me to give
works experience in particular industry. The area of customer care in Kay&sons is also very
interesting to work (Ferreira, Sharp and Robinson, 2011). This 6 months of internship can
enhance my knowledge and skills. This gives me industry experience and help in future aspects.
In this I need to handle various database of candidates and schedule their interviews. I need to
resolve candidate queries so that they get maximum satisfaction.
My role in Kay&Sons
 Checking and dealing with queries of customers
 Addressing customer feedback
 Analysing customer satisfaction index and work on improving that
 Assisting management to work so it can improve customer retention and satisfaction
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By this I can try to understand various roles and responsibility of customer services agent
with respect to handle this area effectively (Gruenewald and Smith, 2014.). I gives my
experience as well as my dedicated and energetic work help to delivery excellent quality of
services. My main roles and responsibility is to coordinate with other department and give
information about candidates apply for particular job and problems which candidate are facing.
With this other duties are also assign to me which support me to grow in future.
1.3 Recognise the business constraints on the work experience offered
Every work is having some or another constraints and issues that can be face by interns
and professionals. The main issues face by customer services agent in consultancy firm is there
to many queries which need to be handle sometime it can be stressful work. Some time
recruitment agencies are having pressure from big companies and for that they need to create
large pool of candidates this can make burden on customer service department as they need to
spend more time on calling different kind of candidates and knowledge them about new
vacancies and describe them about job profile (Hanington and Martin, 2012). The another
challenge is if person is facing any problem in their personal life their should not be any affects
on their profession life. It could affects communication skills while interacting with customers. It
is to be said that in customer service profile first impression is last and it may have its longer
effects. Some times organisation problem are another obstacles which take place. Some time
company is not able to handle their operation in effective manner because of this challenges are
becoming more high.
So there are different constraints which take place in any organisation and this challenges
gives more exposure to my career and it makes me more flexible in nature so that I can handle
various upcoming problems in future. Person need to handle these constraints because every
different industry there are different kind of problem which take place according to their nature.
TASK 2
2.1 Agree and priorities the tasks ans responsibility involved in work the experience
As per my role and responsibility I need to focus on my work and give high satisfaction
to my customers. As I am solving queries of candidates and other clients. I get all knowledge and
information about recruitment process and and by this I develop my attitude in a manner so I can
solve queries and problems in effective manner. My objective is to provide right solution and
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support to my supervisor (Helyer and Lee, 2014). Following are my prioritize roles and
responsibility as customer service agent.
 My major priority is developing learning attitude which is essential at every stage.
 Keep tract on candidate interviews dates as I am part of customer services I need to
provide proper information to them.
 Information about companies so I can able to answer their questions and clear their
doubts.
 Proper coordination with other colleagues so I can have good impression on them and
my experience can be improved.
 Improving my communication skills so I can interact with customers in effective
manner.
 Executing task properly given by supervisor is also one of my priorities.
 My one of the responsibility is to follow all rules and regulation related to work
formulate by authorities (Hoobler, Hu and Wilson, 2010).
 There should not be any breach of legal law aspects
 I supposed to maintain my diary on daily and weekly basis so that I get signed it from
my supervisor.
Targets to be achieved
 Ensuring that I can make satisfy customer
 Reducing chances of errors
 Gaining experience by interacting with customers
 Showing discipline while working in company as intern.
2.2 Produce a plan for the work experience
A complete plan for experience is given below.
Time of training: The training period starts from 2nd June to 28th June 2017
Location: Kay&Sons situated in London
Working hours: The working hours is 9 hours, timing are from 10AM to 6PM
Transportation and meals arrangements: Providing cab by company for both picked and
dropped, lunch is provided by the office.
Position: intern- Customer services
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Attire: Candidate need to wear formal attire from Monday to Thursday and Friday and
Saturday person can come in casual wear.
This is plan for work experience every different companies are having its own different
plans (Ife, 2012). When any person is joining an enterprise. Candidate need to look at plan and
follow the guidelines. So that all rules and regulations can be followed in proper manner.
2.3 Analyse benefits of prosed activities to business and learner
There are many advantages and benefits took place while having this internship program.
This doesn't give benefits to interns but also to the company. Following are advantage utilize by
interns.
 Getting familiar with working environment: When a candidate get chance to work in
any organisation they get chance to get familiar with working environment of that
particular industry and get experience of working in that industry in future.
 Can develop professional behaviour: While working in big companies person develop
their professional attitude and develop their mindset to enter in that particular
profession.
 Level of discipline increases: By these activities candidate can develop their level of
discipline and seriousness towards their work.
 Quality of work can be increase: By having experience in working person can improve
their quality of leadership and management skills.
 Learn Time management: By working in any organisation and handling many task in a
day can teach candidate to manage its time (Joyes, Gray and Hartnell-Young, 2010). So
every task can be completed in given time and in an effective manner.
Benefits to organisation
 Having most potential candidate in their industry: By providing internship programs
company can have more potential candidates and after completion of internship they can
hire them as permanent employees.
 Provide opportunity for talent acquisition: It provide talent acquisition to company so
that competency of enterprise can be increase.
 Have positive impact on company repo: By these activities its tends to increase
company reputation with their employees and recruitment channels.
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 Reduce hiring cost: It can tends to decrease hiring cost as they are hiring interns as final
employees (Kim and Phalak, 2012.). By this advertisement and promotion cost can be
decrease.
 Can bring new changes in an organisation: When candidate comes to do internship they
are doing their courses in this they can come up with new idea which can bring new
innovation in company and this can help to solve problem in more easy way.
TASK 3
3.1 specified requirements of placement conforming to related codes of practices
Every company is having their different codes of practices. Like final placement
internship program is also having different kind of regulation which candidate into follow. This
codes are very strictly to follow by employees and interns. Some of regulations are need to be
follow.
 Working hours: It is very crucial factor in every organisation. Laws of every country
made specified Act for working hours. The working hours for intern is 8 hours and
employees are allowed to do work more than that (Kolb, 2014). The day start from 10AM
if there is long hours then breaks are given to them to relax. Time management and
punctuality is basic codes of kay&Sons.
 Payment: There is no necessary that interns are to be paid. But in case if company is
earning profits they can distribute it to interns as incentives.
 Equal opportunities: It is major and important code that company should provide equal
opportunity to every interns. No discrimination should take place among interns.
3.2 Produce systematic records of work undertaken
The work should be properly and systematically record in every organisation. So that the
needed information can be find in easy manner. By this progress in work can be also easily
identify. The records can be maintain by work schedule, log books and need to review every
week.
 Work schedule: By this detailed worked knowledge can be get on daily basis. In this
task are to be mention which are to be performed in daily routine. In Kay&Sons take
help from sheet and identify what task need to done in particular day.
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 Log book: It help to maintain the data of employees such as details of employees,
employers, contact numbers etc. it is very important data so it should be maintain in
accurate manner.
 Weekly review schedule: This is tools which maintain the records about task that need
to be undertaken. In this the work done by employees on weekly basis has been
reviewed so that performance can be measure.
3.3 Revise initial plan as per required
The plan need to revise as per changes in situation. Different changes has been done in an
enterprise in that major modification has been done in working hours. The time shifted to 9AM
to 7PM (Levy and Petrulis, 2012.). This schedule has been set for small period of time. This
changes in time take place because of pressure on employees and work load. This extra hours
help to managing this gaps. With this training session are also provided by company so that
employees can handle extra responsibility in efficient manner. Solving queries and fulfilling
duties are main responsibility of workers. The certain incentives are provided to workers so that
boost of morale can take place which increase interns strength to do work. These are some
changes which has been take place in an enterprise and this alternatives took place for small
duration but has positive impact on business operations.
3.4 Make suggestions for improvement and review these with appropriate supervisor
Company kay&sons provide it side to customers and competitors. But there are certain
areas which are lacking behind. First suggestion is the employees those who are interacting with
customers and candidates they should know and expertise in two or languages. It can help to
communicate with every kind of customers and may increase in their satisfaction level. This is
specially need for customer services agents. Because this is a department which needs to
communicate more and more clients in a day (Lindgren, Packendorff and Sergi, 2014). Second
suggestion is company need to promote in wide range so that people aware about this enterprise
and their service offering. They should go online so that wide range of people reach to them.
Third suggestion is to program conducted which is associate with loyalty of clients. There are
many other recruitment companies which firm need to take into considered and make their
services better to gain market share and have competitive advantage.
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TASK 4
4.1 Monitor progress against original proposal
Monitor is very important factor to evaluate performance of placed candidates. This
activity should be done in proper and effective manner. This concept can be done to evaluate
different activities such as time management, skills development and inheriting. According to my
point of view I can lead to high development within shorter period of time. By this I can put
good impressive impact on my supervisors (Pohl, 2010).
I get knowledge in two shifts. First at time of training stage it is learning stage and very
normal. In this I become familiar with organisation culture, employees, understand mine and
others responsibility. As it started my work after few days I feel confident towards my work and
try to meet my supervisor expectations. By this time I am able to identify important things that is
team work which is very crucial for organisation success and another is communication is major
aspect in recruitment company. Through effective communication person can easily solve clients
problem.
4.2 Evaluate the quality of own performance
All rules and regulation is cleared to me and I followed all these policies in proper
manner. This is major factor which evaluate my quality of performance. I maintain proper
discipline and I am punctual for my task and work. I follow all guidelines which are given to me
related to my task, are properly adopted by me. I coordinate with other employees proper and try
to understand work (Savery, 2015). Further that I followed all instruction given to me by my
superior. I done every task with my full dedication. I am quick learner so I grasp wide
knowledge and provide effective delivery to clients by solving their queries. All these factors
contribute to my better performance and I gave good impression on my superiors.
4.3 Analysing the learning which take place during work experience
The major learning is to develop my confidence. I worked with high professionalise
people those who have good knowledge about their respective fields can follow their culture
properly. With my responsibility I also understand that every individual having is own role in
success of an enterprise. Every department and every person is crucial part of firm. The staff
need to understand their roles and fulfil the expectation of superiors. Along with this I learnt that
with higher position not only responsibility is rising but also stress and panic also increases. With
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this manger need to take effective decision by which company get success. These are all
learning which I get from my two months of training period.
4.4 Make recommendation who experience could be enhanced
It is highly recommended that planning and organizing should be improve. It is important
that candidate should understand setup goals by company. I am quick learn so I get knowledge to
my self (Shimokawa, Jürgens and Fujimoto, 2012). But in personal training program it should be
formulate in simple manner so that every interns should have understand their roles and
responsibility in clear manner. The candidate should provide short term goals. The training
program is divided in to proper plan and strategies. Further student get chance to explore their
skills. This kind of training programs need to provide in adequate manner. It is very important to
identify skills at large scale because it provide opportunities to both employees and employers.
CONCLUSION
From this report it is easily identify that experience could be easily develop by internship
and training program. The student should focus on their roles and responsibility. By this training
program person can enhance their skills and knowledge. This experience can be helpful in their
future career. By this events both company and candidate is benefited. Enterprise can find their
potential employees by hiring good candidate as their interns. There are certain code of conduct
which every employees and interns need to follow. This rules are regarding timing of office,
schedule of work and behaviour that to be maintain in office premises. So by this an individual
can get good experience that can bring in new opportunity in future.
REFERENCES
Book and Journals
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Bakker, A.B., 2011. An evidence-based model of work engagement. Current Directions in
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Csikszentmihalyi, M., 2014. Toward a psychology of optimal experience (pp. 209-226). Springer
Netherlands.
Falk, J.H., 2016. Identity and the museum visitor experience. Routledge.
Ferreira, J., Sharp, H. and Robinson, H., 2011. User experience design and agile development:
managing cooperation through articulation work. Software: Practice and Experience.
41(9). pp.963-974.
Gruenewald, D.A. and Smith, G.A. eds., 2014. Place-based education in the global age: Local
diversity. Routledge.
Hanington, B. and Martin, B., 2012. Universal methods of design: 100 ways to research complex
problems, develop innovative ideas, and design effective solutions. Rockport
Publishers.
Helyer, R. and Lee, D., 2014. The role of work experience in the future employability of higher
education graduates. Higher Education Quarterly. 68(3). pp.348-372.
Hoobler, J.M., Hu, J. and Wilson, M., 2010. Do workers who experience conflict between the
work and family domains hit a “glass ceiling?”: A meta-analytic examination. Journal
of Vocational Behavior. 77(3). pp.481-494.
Ife, J., 2012. Human rights and social work: Towards rights-based practice. Cambridge
University Press.
Joyes, G., Gray, L. and Hartnell-Young, E., 2010. Effective practice with e-portfolios: How can
the UK experience inform implementation?. Australasian Journal of Educational
Technology. 26(1).
Kim, Y.A. and Phalak, R., 2012. A trust prediction framework in rating-based experience
sharing social networks without a Web of Trust. Information Sciences. 191. pp.128-145.
Kolb, D.A., 2014. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.
FT press.
Levy, P. and Petrulis, R., 2012. How do first-year university students experience inquiry and
research, and what are the implications for the practice of inquiry-based learning?.
Studies in Higher Education. 37(1). pp.85-101.
Lindgren, M., Packendorff, J. and Sergi, V., 2014. Thrilled by the discourse, suffering through
the experience: Emotions in project-based work. human relations,
p.0018726713520022.
Pohl, K., 2010. Requirements engineering: fundamentals, principles, and techniques. Springer
Publishing Company, Incorporated.
Savery, J.R., 2015. Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Essential
readings in problem-based learning: Exploring and extending the legacy of Howard S.
Barrows. pp.5-15.
Shimokawa, K., Jürgens, U. and Fujimoto, T. eds., 2012. Transforming automobile assembly:
experience in automation and work organization. Springer Science & Business Media.
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Research And Evaluate Suitable Organisations. 2017-18. [Online]. Available
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