LNF Cymru Literacy and numeracy for Wales

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Skills for Work: Customer Service

Customer service is a Pearson Skills for Work unit about good customer service in work contexts such as retail, hospitality and public services, and the communication skills to put it into practice and deal with problems. It is one 20 hour unit that learners combine with others into a Pearson Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma, achieved at one level from Entry 1 to Level 2. Literacy is the heart of the unit: learners name and explain customer service skills, Level 2 learners explain principles using linking words, and every level speaks and listens to customers in a role play or real activity. Numeracy demand is low, as no criterion asks for any calculation.

Awarding body
Pearson
Level
Entry Level 1 to Level 2
Guided learning hours
20
First taught
September 2027
Amount of literacy work
High
Amount of numeracy work
Low
Specification
Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
  • Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): One assessment criterion at each of Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3: list familiar examples, outline basic skills, or identify simple skills and their purpose, and take part in a customer service activity, from a simple supported activity at Entry 1 to contributing to a role play or real activity at Entry 3. There are no mandatory evidence requirements; the centre sets and marks the assessment and Pearson quality assures it through standards verification. 20 guided learning hours.
  • Level 1 and Level 2: One assessment criterion at each of Level 1 and Level 2: describe the importance of customer service in at least two work contexts and demonstrate at least three appropriate skills in practical situations (Level 1), or explain its principles across at least three contexts and deliver effective customer service, adapting to different situations and customer needs (Level 2). The centre sets and marks the assessment and Pearson quality assures it through standards verification. 20 guided learning hours.

The literacy and numeracy skills in this qualification

  1. Naming customer service skills and their purpose

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Entry 1 learners list familiar behaviours such as smiling, greeting and saying thank you, Entry 2 learners outline skills such as politeness and listening, and Entry 3 learners identify at least three practices and know their purpose. This builds the vocabulary of customer service and is required by the Entry assessment criteria.

    Literacy: Vocabulary, spelling, grammar, Clarity and vocabulary

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils sort word cards such as greeting, patience, eye contact and listening into a customer service word bank and use three of them in sentences.
    Year 8
    Pupils watch a short clip of a shop assistant and write a list of the customer service skills they saw, saying what each one is for.
    Year 9
    Pupils write a glossary of eight customer service terms for new staff, giving a definition and a workplace example for each.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit SfW 12, assessment criteria Entry 1 to Entry 3, page 63; Essential information for assessment decisions, page 64

    “outline simple customer service skills, such as politeness and listening”
    Progression step 3

    • I can use varied, appropriate and precise vocabulary including area of learning and experience/discipline-specific words for different purposes.

    • I can express issues and ideas clearly using area of learning and experience/discipline-specific vocabulary and examples.

    Progression step 4

    • I have experienced a range of area of learning and experience/discipline-specific and general academic vocabulary, and can use them in my own communication.

    • I have experienced a range of area of learning and experience/discipline-specific and general academic vocabulary, and can use them in my own communication.

  2. Describing why customer service matters in different contexts

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Level 1 learners describe the importance of customer service in at least two contexts, such as retail, hospitality or public services, giving a clear account with relevant detail. This is required by the Level 1 assessment criterion.

    Literacy: Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils write a short paragraph describing good service they received in a shop or café and why it made them want to go back.
    Year 8
    Pupils write two paragraphs describing why customer service matters in a supermarket and at a doctor's reception, with one example for each.
    Year 9
    Pupils write a structured account of customer service in retail, hospitality and a public service, describing what good service looks like and why it matters in each.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit SfW 12, assessment criterion Level 1, page 63; Essential information for assessment decisions, Level 1, page 64

    “describe the importance of customer service in least two different contexts, such as retail, hospitality, or public services”
    Progression step 3

    • I can write a comprehensive account of a topic, theme or viewpoint.

    • I can use and adapt different structures within my writing, e.g. reporting an event, investigation or experiment.

    Progression step 4

    • I can adapt my writing style, choosing and using the best structures for different contexts and purposes, e.g. to successfully describe, explain, persuade, discuss.

    • I can use summary, discussion of issues, detailed explanations and logic when covering a topic.

  3. Explaining customer service principles with linking words

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Level 2 learners explain customer service principles across at least three different contexts, and the guidance says they do so using linking words such as this means that and this results in. This is required by the Level 2 assessment criterion and can be written or spoken.

    Literacy: Connectives and syntax, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils complete sentences that begin When staff smile at customers, this means that, choosing an ending from a word bank.
    Year 8
    Pupils write a paragraph explaining one customer service rule, such as listening carefully, using at least three linking phrases like as a result and this leads to.
    Year 9
    Pupils write an explanation of three customer service principles in different workplaces, linking cause and effect in each paragraph and connecting the paragraphs.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit SfW 12, assessment criterion Level 2, page 63; Essential information for assessment decisions, Level 2, page 64

    “can explain, by using words that link such as 'this means that', 'this results in'”
    Progression step 3

    • I can use an increasing range of connectives to organise my ideas in sentences, paragraphs and whole texts.

    • I can use paragraphs and make links between them.

    Progression step 4

    • I can use a range of connectives specifically when organising my ideas in whole texts for different purposes.

    • I can use summary, discussion of issues, detailed explanations and logic when covering a topic.

  4. Speaking with customers in role play and real situations

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Every level takes part in a customer service activity, from a simple supported activity at Entry 1 to contributing to a role play or real activity at Entry 3; Level 1 learners demonstrate at least three skills such as clear communication and helpfulness, and Level 2 learners deliver effective customer service. This is required by the assessment criteria and needs an observation record or similar evidence.

    Literacy: Clarity and vocabulary, Collaborative talk

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils role play greeting a visitor at the school reception, practising a clear greeting, eye contact and a polite close.
    Year 8
    Pupils role play a café order in pairs, taking turns as customer and server, and get feedback from a third pupil on clarity and tone.
    Year 9
    Pupils serve real visitors at a school event such as a parents' evening refreshment stall, using a checklist of customer service skills they are observed against.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit SfW 12, assessment criteria, page 63; Essential information for assessment decisions, page 64; Levels of supervision and support, page 65

    “demonstrate at least three appropriate customer service skills, e.g. clear communication,”
    Progression step 3

    • I can speak clearly, recognising the appropriate language for different audiences and purposes, and varying my expression, vocabulary, tone and gestures to engage the audience.

    • I have experienced speaking with different people in a variety of authentic contexts.

    Progression step 4

    • I can speak clearly, selecting and adapting my language appropriately for a range of audiences and purposes, conveying meaning effectively to the audience.

    • I have experienced speaking with different people in a variety of authentic contexts.

  5. Listening to customers and adapting to their needs

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Entry 2 learners show skills such as listening, and Level 2 learners identify, gather and use relevant information to adapt independently to different customers and situations. Learners listen carefully, check what the customer wants and change what they say and how they say it. This is required by the Level 2 criterion.

    Literacy: Listening for meaning, Questioning, Purpose, Collaborative talk

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils listen to a recorded customer request and write down what the customer wants and one question they would ask to check.
    Year 8
    Pupils role play helping three customers with different needs, such as an older visitor, a child and someone in a hurry, and say how they changed their language each time.
    Year 9
    Pupils serve a customer whose needs change partway through a role play, ask questions to gather the new information, and adapt their response, then reflect on what they changed.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit SfW 12, assessment criterion Level 2, page 63; Essential information for assessment decisions, Entry 2 and Level 2, page 64

    “identify, gather and use relevant information to inform actions independently adapting to customer needs and situations”
    Progression step 3

    • I can listen to, understand, infer, interpret and recall the general meaning of what I have heard.

    • I can respond to others’ points of view by seeking clarity, summarising and explaining what I have heard, read or seen.

    Progression step 4

    • I can understand and analyse general meaning and implied ideas.

    • I can organise talk effectively to respond to how listeners are reacting by adapting what I say and how I say it.

    Progression step 5

    • I can respond confidently to how listeners react, adapting my language in a wide range of contexts and for different purposes.

  6. Using communication to deal with problems

    Assessed: Taught, but not assessed

    The unit aims to develop the communication skills to deal with problems, and Level 2 learners adapt to different situations. Unlike the WJEC unit, no Pearson criterion names complaints, so handling problems is taught through the compulsory unit content in the Teaching and Learning Support document rather than assessed in its own right.

    Literacy: Questioning, Purpose

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils practise saying sorry and offering help in a short role play where a customer's order is wrong.
    Year 8
    Pupils role play a customer returning a faulty item, summarising the problem back to the customer before offering a solution.
    Year 9
    Pupils role play calming an unhappy customer, responding to their points with sensitivity, and evaluate in a group which phrases helped most.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit SfW 12, Purpose and Aim, page 63

    “develop the communication skills to put them into practice and to deal with problems”
    Progression step 3

    • I can respond to others’ points of view by seeking clarity, summarising and explaining what I have heard, read or seen.

    • I can organise talk so that different audiences in different contexts can follow what is being said, including using formal language.

    Progression step 4

    • I can respond to others' points of view with confidence and sensitivity, summarising and evaluating what I have heard, read or seen.

    • I can organise talk effectively to respond to how listeners are reacting by adapting what I say and how I say it.

Good to know

Links with other qualifications

Compared with the WJEC Customer service unit, which is also 20 GLH and rated high for literacy, Pearson's version has one assessment criterion per level and no separate criteria on teamwork or complaints, but asks Level 2 learners to explain principles with linking words across three contexts and to adapt to different customers. Speaking, listening and explaining in a work setting build the skills of GCSE English Language and Literature, and role play links with GCSE Drama. The unit links closely with the WJEC VCSE and Foundation in Retail and Customer Service, and Pearson's contexts of hospitality and public services link it to the WJEC VCSE in Hospitality and Catering and the VCSE in Public Services. GCSE Business covers why customer service matters.

Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Work Award, Certificate and Diploma Qualifications specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfW 12: Customer service.