Monday Morning Customer Service

The ER staff is currently reading the book Monday Morning Customer Service by David Reed and David Cottrell.  We have summarized the key points and also shared the ways we are presently applying the basic principles in our everyday work

Chapter 5: Keep backstage things, Backstage

• There are ‘Onstage activities’ that involve the customer and ‘Backstage activities’ that are behind the scenes and meant to involve only the employees.  For ER that means that each caller whether the first or the last of the day deserves our full attention and best customer service.  They judge us by how we treat them at that moment and though they may be the 390th person we helped after what may be a long and frustrating day, they expect and deserve our best.
• Employees should be trained to respect the customer…no matter what the situation.  Whether it is a hold on an account, an unexpected admission decision, inability to get into a certain class, often when we get a call folks are upset.  We recognize that they are not so much upset with us as they are about the situation in which they find themselves. We strive to help them resolve their issue and also try to educate them on how to avoid a similar situation in future terms.  Some concerns must be dealt with by a more appropriate person; our responsibility then is to generate a smooth hand-off.
• An organization or team within that organization must maintain a high standard of service and ensure that backstage activities are truly behind the scene.  Our callers are unaware that we at times instant message 2 or 3 different people within DES trying to get them the right answer, occasionally get out of our seats to track down the right answer, all they see is the end results. 
• It is important for leaders to leave their offices and observe what is going on in the day to day operations.  Greater awareness creates better responses to questions or complaints from customers and from the staff.
• Our students and their families are our “Mystery Guests”, they will report how we react and respond to their concern.  When they are treated well the first time that becomes their expectation.
• Customer service skills are like the air in a bicycle tire…it leaks.  Leadership must pump up the employees by reminding them that excellent customer service is the key to their success.  They must also provide them with the opportunity to learn new skills and reinforce existing ones. 

Chapter 6: Get Off Your Island

• In order to be proactive and productive, it is necessary to schedule time to plan, train, and prepare.  Neither the team nor our families benefit if we continually operate in a reactionary mode rather than a proactive manner.   We keep a 3 month calendar so we can anticipate the type of information we will need to have at hand to answer a question effectively and efficiently.
• When an entire team works together to deliver service to a customer, everyone wins.  All company policies and procedures should encourage teamwork.  We communicate to our families that multiple people can assist them, if the one person they spoke with previously is not available.
• Employees who are not helping the team accomplish its goals and in fact are bringing the team down should be disciplined or dismissed.
• Leadership should be directly involved or at least depended on to insure that the customer service given is the best it can be.

---