Connecting with People and Communities

LIS503

This course explores communication and customer service theories and techniques used by information professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand.

  •  
    Level
    5
  •  
    Credits
    20
  •  
    Cost
    2025
    2024
    $793 NZ Domestic
    $2,010 NZ International
  •  
    EFTS
    0.1667
  • Delivery type
    Online only
  • Teaching weeks 16 weeks
  • Workload Approximately 13 hours per week
  •  
    Prerequisites Check entry and other requirements under the qualification you are studying

You will engage with customer service strategies in the context of diversity and inclusiveness, and develop an understanding of how specific communication techniques are used to deliver effective and culturally responsive customer service.

You will also consider how communication and customer service techniques can enhance training, advocacy and community engagement.

The course will include a focus on working in ethical and respectful ways with people and communities.

For more information watch the course introduction video below.

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to

  • Select and discuss communication and customer service theories and techniques for information contexts.
  • Explain how individual and community diversity can affect customer interests, needs and interactions in Aotearoa New Zealand society.
  • Demonstrate effective communication and customer engagement in diverse contexts.

Course content

Understanding people and communities

  • Introduce core psychology, sociology, and educational concepts of working with people of different ages and backgrounds in a customer service context

Connecting and serving people and communities

  • Core communication and customer service techniques in physical and virtual environments 
  • Techniques for handling complex situations and diverse expectations when working with customers
  • Service Design Thinking
  • Understanding and improving the user experience
  • Introduction to determining user needs

Diversity and inclusiveness

  • Overview of the various beliefs, values, viewpoints and behaviours that shape how different communities view, access and use information
  • Working with Māori, Pasifika, Deaf and other diverse communities of language and culture
  • Ensuring that spaces, resources and services are accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities
  • Cultural competencies in communication

Connecting with people and communities through information services

  • Introduce a range of professional information contexts where staff interact with and support people, demonstrating how effective communication and customer service skills are applied, including examples of customer service, training, advocacy, and community engagement

Assessment

100% internally assessed

Textbooks

No textbooks are required for this course

Computer and internet requirements

To complete this course you will need access to a laptop or desktop computer, reliable broadband internet connection and a data plan able to support online learning such as streaming of videos (including YouTube), downloading content, and writing and submitting online assessments. If you are unsure if your current computer or internet access allows you to complete your online learning with us, please contact us before applying to enrol.

How to enrol

Before enrolling in this course you need to:

  • choose the qualification you will study the course under
  • check the order that courses in the qualification should be studied in the Qualification Structure table. This is in the Choose courses and apply tab on the qualification page.

Work towards

You can do this course as part of these qualifications:

Certificate of Proficiency
Diploma
Bachelor's Degree

Course availability over the next 12 months

Apr
May
Jun

June enrolment dates

Enrol by -
Course starts -
Course ends -
11 Jun 2024
24 Jun 2024
13 Oct 2024
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct

October enrolment dates

Enrol by -
Course starts -
Course ends -
8 Oct 2024
21 Oct 2024
9 Feb 2025
Nov
Dec
2025
Jan
Feb

Dates for this course are not finalised yet

Check back later

Enrol by -
Course starts -
Course ends -
To be confirmed
To be confirmed
To be confirmed
Mar
  •  
    Level
    5
  •  
    Credits
    20
  •  
    Cost
    2025
    2024
    $793 NZ Domestic
    $2,010 NZ International
  •  
    EFTS
    0.1667
  • Delivery type
    Online only
  • Teaching weeks 16 weeks
  • Workload Approximately 13 hours per week
  •  
    Prerequisites Check entry and other requirements under the qualification you are studying