Course Title: Resolve disputes

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2007

Course Code: BAFI5127C

Course Title: Resolve disputes

School: 650T TAFE Business

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4170 - Certificate IV in Financial Services

Course Contact : Seymour Jacobson

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 1563

Course Contact Email:seymour.jacobson@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 25

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

This unit is co-delivered and assessed with: 
SOSK5140C Participate in negotiations

Course Description

Resolve disputes covers the skills and knowledge involved in resolving disputes between customers and organisations in the financial services industry.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

FNSICGEN404A Resolve disputes

Element:

Establish that a dispute exists

Performance Criteria:

• All information relating to the original problem is identified and the grounds for the dispute clarified
• Contact is made with all parties to identify and clarify the disputed issues
• The fact that the customer has a legitimate dispute is established and that the initial complaint has not already been settled to the customer's satisfaction
• Information is assessed to ensure that the company operating procedures have been followed
• All information relevant to the dispute resolution process is provided to the customer
• Where necessary additional information is obtained from relevant parties as required and exchanged appropriately
• Where the existence of a genuine dispute is established, the customer is informed of the organisation's obligations, procedures to be followed and timeframes

Element:

Finalise dispute

Performance Criteria:

• The customer is informed of the decision, including reasons for the decision if appropriate, and negotiations are carried out with claimant or representative if required
• Disputes are resolved in a timely and, as far as practicable, non litigious manner and, as far as possible, without resorting to formal conciliation services
• The rights of the customer are respected in all dispute settlement procedures
• Unresolved disputes are referred to formal conciliation services

Element:

Investigate the dispute and determine the action to be taken

Performance Criteria:

• All information from prior dealings with the customer is collected
• Further investigations are undertaken if necessary as a result of assessment of existing information
• The customer is kept informed of progress and advised of any delays
• Established timelines are adhered to
• Action to be taken is determined with consideration to the facts, legislation, company procedures and policies and industry codes of practice
• Appropriate personnel are informed of action to be taken

Element:

Resolve dispute

Performance Criteria:

• The customer is informed of the decision, including reasons for the decision if appropriate, and negotiations are carried out with claimant or representative if required
• Disputes are resolved in a timely and, as far as practicable, non litigious manner and, as far as possible, without resorting to formal conciliation services
• The rights of the customer are respected in all dispute settlement procedures
• Unresolved disputes are referred to formal conciliation services


Learning Outcomes


Refer to performance elements and performance criteria.


Details of Learning Activities

In this course students will undertake a range of learning activities, which will include:
An initial introduction to topics and techniques via teacher directed learning, tutorial-based discussion groups, role-plays to explore individual reactions to particular situations, a group project (case-study, tutorial exercises in order to develop competency including underpinning skills and knowledge.

This unit is co-delivered and assessed with:
SOSK5140C Participate in negotiations

Elements of the two competencies are overlapping, will be co-delivered in class activities, assessment activities and grading.


Teaching Schedule

Week beginning Topics Assessment
Week 1 – 12 Feb Conflict: definition and resolution methods  
Week 2 – 19 Feb Negotiation: definition, purpose, stages  
Week 3 – 26 Feb Negotiation: Preparation and tactics  
Week 4 – 5 Mar Negotiation skills: listening, questioning and persuasive techniques  
Week 5 – 12 Mar Negotiation skills: bargaining and finalising  
Week 6 – 19 Mar   Simulation of a workplace negotiation
Week 7 – 26 Mar Evaluate outcome of negotiation  
Week 8 – 2 April    
  Mid Semester Break (Student Vacation) – 5th to 11th April  
Week 8 – 9 April    
Week 9 – 16 April Causes of customer complaints and disputes  
Week 10 – 23 April Dispute resolution methods and bodies  
Week 11 – 30 April   Simulation of conflict / dispute resolution
Week 12 – 7 May Complaints procedures / policies.  
Week 13 – 14 May Disputes and resolution practices.  
Week 14 – 21 May   Verbal presentation
Week 15 – 28 May   Verbal presentation
Week 16 – 4 June   Written formal Business Report/test
Week 17 – 11 June   Written formal Business Report/test
Week 18 – 18 June Feedback on assignment & assessment  

Please note that the above schedule is a guide and may change. Students, even if absent, are expected to keep themselves keep themselves accurately informed of and follow up any changes.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Communicate for business, Access series, McGraw Hill
Rix P., 2006. Selling: Managing Customer Relationships 3ed, McGraw-Hill Australia, North Ryde NSW.

Please note: Communicate for business is the same text as for Communicate in the workplace. Rix’s book is the same text as for “Sell financial products and services” unit in the Certificate IV in Financial Services. Extensive course notes and materials will be available of the learning hub online@rmiit.edu.au
from the commencement of the course.


References

Print-based resources
Students will be provided with a learner’s guide that will include tutorial discussion questions, short answer questions and problem sets, self-directed exercises, some solutions and core notes for each topic.


Recommended readings
Recommended readings for this course are to be advised.

Additional texts are available for general use from the Business library on level 5 of Building 108. A computer access laboratory is provided on level 3 and a library on level 5 of Building 108.


Other Resources

On-line resources
Students will be provided with on-line resources in the learning hub that include lectures and self-directed exercises, on-line feedback exercises and relevant URL’s.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment may incorporate a variety of methods including a group simulation of a workplace negotiation based activity, a group simulation of conflict / dispute resolution, exploring dispute handling procedures in a financial services setting, a verbal presentation and a written formal business report and tests.

You will receive ongoing feedback on your progress in the course. Feedback on assessment will be given in a timely manner. You will be informed about how to improve your performance in the competency/course and what you need to do to be deemed competent or to gain a pass in the assessment.


Assessment Tasks

The assessment will consist of:
• A group simulation of a workplace negotiation.
• A group simulation of conflict/dispute resolution, exploring dispute handling procedures in a financial services setting.
• A verbal presentation introducing, outlining or elaborating on some aspect of the written report prepared below, or on a dispute case study.
• A Written formal Business Report/test will take the form of a closed book test under exam conditions. It will assess the underpinning skills and knowledge of the course and the performance elements indicated in the assessment matrix above.

The final mark is based on all assessment components. Additionally, to receive a pass for this course a student must achieve 50% overall.


Assessment Matrix

  Simulation negotiation Simulation dispute resolution Verbal presentation/ case study Written Business Report/test
Plan the negotiation Y     Y
Conduct the negotiation Y     Y
Finalise the negotiation Y     Y
Establish that a dispute exists   Y Y Y
Investigate the dispute and determine the action to be taken   Y Y Y
Resolve dispute   Y Y Y
Finalise dispute   Y Y Y

Assessment weighting for this course takes the following form:

Simulation of a workplace negotiation: 20% of assessment
Simulation of conflict/dispute resolution: 15%
Verbal presentation/case study: 15%
Written formal Business Report(s)/test: 50%


Course Overview: Access Course Overview