Due to the success of your business, you have recently employed an administrative assistant to whom you will delegate some of your work. You need to ensure that the new recruit is properly trained

Unit 4.7 Administrative Services

Level 4   15 Credits

Sample Assignment

Context Unit 4.7 Administrative Services

You run your own company providing administrative services to local businesses. You have been successful in acquiring a portfolio of clients with varied needs and you have a reputation for reliability and efficiency.  

In this assignment, you will show that you understand the range and diversity of administrative services and demonstrate your administrative skills.   

Task 1 Unit 4.7 Administrative Services

Due to the success of your business, you have recently employed an administrative assistant to whom you will delegate some of your work.  You need to ensure that the new recruit is properly trained.  You will prepare a section of a training manual which must cover the following:

• An explanation of the different administrative services offered or potentially offered by your company
• An analysis of the knowledge and skills required to be effective in administrative services
• An explanation of the challenges presented when offering administrative support to different managers in different organisations
• An explanation of the legal requirements relevant to administrative services

This task covers assessment criteria 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4.

A bibliography must be attached.

Task 2 Unit 4.7 Administrative Services

A local plumber visits you.  His administration is in a mess.  He has an office with bits of paper all over the place.  He has lost the telephone numbers of some of his customers and is in trouble with recording sales and purchases.  He wants you to sort out the administration of his business but you will need his co-operation by providing information and keeping accurate records.  You agree to help him.  You will start by explaining to him, by letter, what you intend to do. Unit 4.7 Administrative Services

A) Write a letter to the plumber in which you provide an evaluation of different filing systems and a proposal for the type you will use.  The letter will also explain to the plumber the importance of keeping accurate records.

B) Set up an electronic filing system for the plumber with files and folders as appropriate to hold information on:

all customer details 

• current jobs
• supplier details
• product descriptions and prices
• employee details
• price lists for popular jobs
• templates for documents

Enter data under at least 4 of these headings in order to demonstrate to the plumber how this system will work.  Store your system on the memory stick provided.

C) The plumber holds stock in a small warehouse.  He often runs out of items and needs to implement a stock control system.  You should set up a suitable stock control system for plumbing products and enter appropriate data to illustrate how the system works.  Produce a user’s guide for the plumber to demonstrate the use of the system. Unit 4.7 Administrative Services

D) Provide templates for a purchasing system that the plumber can use to record and manage purchases.  Make some example entries to demonstrate its use.  

This task covers assessment criteria 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4.

A bibliography must be attached.

Task 3 Unit 4.7 Administrative Services

The manager of a local estate agent approaches you with a problem.  She has been asked by the National Sales Manager to arrange a meeting of 35 branch managers to be held in your town.  The branch premises is not large enough for the meeting and the National Sales Manager has not set a budget for the event, which will require a venue and catering.  She has asked him for the company’s policy on meetings so she knows the boundaries within which to work but he has said, ‘Just do what you think and don’t spend too much money.  Make sure they all turn up. ‘

A) Your client wants you to provide her with a plan for the meeting.  You should provide:

• a proposed local venue and cost
• proposed catering and cost
• proposed date and timings
• an invitation for the branch managers

B) Prepare the necessary papers for the meeting.  The purpose of the meeting is to report on sales in branches and on local conditions affecting sales in branches.  The managers will also discuss measures to improve sales.  You must provide:

• an agenda
• a template for taking minutes
• a register of attendees

C) Your client has provided her current policies and procedures for setting up meetings or events.  See Appendix 1.  Carry out an analysis of these in order to assess theireffectiveness.  .

D) Recommend improvements to the policies and procedures and produce a document outlining these.

This task covers assessment criteria 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.

Task 4 Unit 4.7 Administrative Services

The manager of the local estate agent has returned for further advice following the meeting of branch managers.  The managers need to communicate more effectively to co-operate on sales and marketing.  She also wants to consider communication within her large office as she finds that people working in close proximity rely on emailing each other to communicate.  She has asked you to prepare a concise report on effective communication in the workplace.  

You must carry out research and prepare the report to include:

• an evaluation of the suitability and effectiveness of different communication systems for the estate agent
• an analysis of the role of technology in supporting effective communication in the estate agency

Unit 4.7 Administrative Services