Customer Service with a Side of Reality

1. Customer Service with a Side of Reality Sharon Hassan Prince George’s Community College May 2013

2. Agenda • Define Customer Service • Discuss 8 Rules for Good Customer Service • Face Reality

3. Customer Service • Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy - happy enough to pass positive feedback about your office along to others, who may then enroll at your institution for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.

4. 8 Rules • Answer your phone • Return Calls • Don’t make promises unless you will keep them • Listen • Be Honest • Deal with Complaints (before they are elevated) • Be helpful

5. 8 Rules • Train Staff to be • Helpful • Courteous • knowledgeable • Go the extra mile • Make a Phone Call • Walk student to location • Throw in something Extra • Advice • Handout/Pamphlet/Web address

6. Customer Service • Reality – Sending customers away happy enough that they do not complain to your boss or the President of the College.

7. Rules Reality • Answer your phone – I was in meetings all day • Return Calls • Don’t make promises unless you will keep them • I meant to call you back but I got distracted by the emergency request for data • Listen • Goes both ways • You have been saying the same thing for the last 20 minutes. • Deal with Complaints (before they are elevated) • Be helpful • Define helpful 

8. Rules Reality • Train Staff • I learned a long time ago that I can teach a person how to process aid but I can’t teach them how to be a good person • Go the extra mile • Be careful not to get drawn into things that are out of your area of control • Be prepared to not be recognized for your efforts, Ex. • Throw in something Extra • Advice might not always be accepted or appreciated • Handout/Pamphlet/Web address should be relevant

9. Reality • Most schools try to provide good customer service • Institutional and Federal Policies often Conflict with good customer service • Perception trumps Reality • One size does not fit all • The customer is NOT always right • Some days you just don’t feel like havin’ it

10. Reality Check • Consider surveys and or secret shoppers • Make a list of customer service ideas • Select one or two to put into practice • Study businesses or schools that have the reputation that you want • Determine what your current strengths are • Normally we focus on what we don’t do well • Stay proactive

11. Summary • “If you aren’t taking care of your customers, your competition will.”

12. Thank You Sharon Hassan Director of Financial Aid Prince George’s Community College 301-322-0766 hassanse@pgcc.edu 