Distance Education -Online Course -Home Study Course
Learn to Work Better, Smarter and Happier in an Office
- Improve your chances of getting a better job
- Do the job you have better, and impress your employer
Skilled office workers are always in demand. Make sure you have the edge! Develop the skills and knowledge necessary for the operation of an office.
Why Study Here?
- We nurture our students -while some schools are simply focussed on providing you with information, we are more interested in improving your ability to use what you learn.
- Extend your capacity to communicate, solve problems and be more productive
- More access to tutors, better qualified tutors
- Study where and when you want
- Stop after this course; or continue using it as a credit toward a higher qualification
Lesson Structure
There are 6 lessons in this course:
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The Modern Office
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scope of office work
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procedures
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the home office vs commercial premises, etc.
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Communication Systems
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using the phone
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business letters
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faxes
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couriers
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postage, etc.
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Interpersonal Communications
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Phone Skills
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Writing Letters and Other Documents
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writing Letters and Reports.
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structure of a report
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memos
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business letters.
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Computer Applications
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scope & uses of computers
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types of computers
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software types
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peripherals
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word processing
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CD Roms
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modems
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setting up and care of a PC.
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Office Organisation and Procedures
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Stationary
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office furniture
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paper specifications
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filing
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record keeping etc.
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Health and Safety in the Office
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Office layout and organization
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security.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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Determine the price range of different items of equipment and materials.
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Determine the upper and lower limit of what it might be likely to cost you to set up a new office.
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Design a memorandum form.
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Explain postal systems used in a business.
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Create a MS Access Database.
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Design a filing system.
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Design a work schedule suitable for a specific workplace.
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Design a security system that can be implemented in a work situation.
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Design a layout for an office situation.
What You Will Do
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Make a list of essential equipment, stationery and other materials.
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Visit an office supply company.
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Collect catalogues or price lists for different products available.
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Compare the implications of having an office at home with leasing, buying or using a serviced office.
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Explain applications to use and apply the following office equipment:
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computers
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mobile phones
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printers
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email
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fax
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scanners
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Report on the range of systems covering:
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couriers
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postage
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scanners
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electronic banking
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mobile phones
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rail services
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Write a letter applying for this job.
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Write a letter from an organisation (real or imaginary) to another organisation.
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Ask your local computer supplier about virus removal software and hardware.
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Compile a table comparing features of different computer systems.
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What roles can computers play in business?
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Contact or visit various stationery supplies to find out about what materials are available.
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Write a report about how to design a filing system suitable for your area of work.
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Inspect various offices to see how they are utilising space and storage.
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Contact various suppliers of office furniture to see what furniture is available.
TIPS FOR USING THE TELEPHONE
• Keep a notepad and pen handy to jot down information.
• Answer calls promptly, usually, on the third ring
• Be sure to have the phone in position before you speak. If you speak too soon, the first part of your greeting can be lost, and the caller hears “…..speaking.”
• Greet the caller, introduce the business, then yourself, quickly and clearly. For example: “Good morning, ACS, Martin speaking”.
• Ask for, and use the client’s name, but not so much that you sound like a robot.
• Actively listen for the person to tell you what they want. Be prepared to ask questions to get to the main point. For example: (listening, then) “Would you like to enrol in the course now, or do you want to know how to enrol in the future?”
• Try to really understand the caller’s intended meaning. Give them your full attention.
• Sound alert and interested. The best way to do this is to be alert and interested. Another way is to vary your voice inflection, so that it doesn’t sound monotone. You might need to practice.
• Sound friendly and courteous. Smile – you can hear a smile – and use polite language. A friendly happy voice on the phone is a very great asset in any business.
• Speak clearly. Talk into the handset; pronounce words correctly; and don’t talk too fast.
• Be cheerful and patient. Remember that if there is a problem the person is not annoyed at you, but at the problem, as they perceive it.
• Be willing to help. If you can’t, tell the person that you will refer them to someone who can, and do it.
• When referring them to another person, get their permission first, and give them the name and title of that person. Check to see that the call has gone through as planned. If there is a long delay, ask if the other person can phone them back.
• Do not put a person on hold without their permission. The caller might be making a long-distance phone call, or calling from a mobile phone, or might not have time to wait. Ask, “May I put you on hold for a moment?” and wait for the answer.
• If you can’t help the client right away, take their name and number and promise to phone them back. Give a time, rather than just saying, “I’ll call back later.”
• Follow up. Do what you have promised, and do it promptly.
• Repeat the main ideas of messages back to the person to ensure that you both have them correctly.
• At the end of the conversation, thank the customer for calling. If appropriate, end with a friendly close, such as "Hope to hear from you again soon", or “It was a pleasure to talk to you”. However, in more formal situations, a simple thank you is sufficient.
• Keep the phone in position until you and they have finished speaking. If you try to hang up too soon, they might only get part of your exit, hearing something like, “Thanks f…….”
• Immediately make any notes to help you remember what you have agreed to do, or who else must get the message. Do not rely on memory.
Example of an Assignment from this Course:
1. Draw a flow chart describing one process in an office. It can be a process that you participate in your workplace, or you can describe a process used in another workplace. Your flow chart should show:
- the different steps involved in each function,
- who (what job position, eg. clerk, accountant, mail person)
- what equipment is used to carry out the step.
2. Conduct research into the kind of office job that you would like to gain, or already have. Find information on job requirements, desirable education or training, what skills are needed, which organisations offer that kind of employment, and what the daily work entails. List your relevant skills and training. (Write no more than 1 page.)
3. Consider a business that you might like to set up, requiring a small office in your home or elsewhere. Using the information gathered in your set tasks, write a 1-2 page report on the equipment and skills required to set up and operate your small office. Include the following points in your report:
a) Identify the kind of business you wish to provide.
b) List the equipment and other items required to establish and operate the office.
c) Describe what kinds of skills are needed to use the office equipment.
d) Compare the benefits and disadvantages of:
- purchasing what you need for the office
- leasing what you need for the office
- using the services of an existing office
e) Determine what it will cost you to set up this office. Include an upper and lower limit.
If there is anything you want to know more about, ask your tutor when you submit this assignment.
