Public schools have customers too!!!

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Why do public schools need to practice good customer service? Several years ago public schools, were needed by all, and the public was grateful for them. Education was essentially product oriented. That’s no longer true. Many taxpayers now believe that the price for public education exceeds the value. Public schools have mistakenly relied on product-customer marketing versus customer-product marketing. Research shows that customer oriented strategies create strong customer relationships that will ensure customer loyalty.

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PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVECUSTOMERS TOO!!!

WHY IS THIS P. D. IMPORTANT?

Refresher course for our staffTo assist you in dealing with difficult peopleTo improve the district’s image with our customersTo help the district function more efficientlyKey to creating family-friendly schools

WHAT IS A CUSTOMER?

A customer is someone who brings us his or her needs and desires. It is our job to care for those needs and desires.

The customer is not an interruption of our work.

He or she is the purpose of our work. We are not doing customers a favor by offering education as a product for their consumption.

WHO ARE OUR CUSTOMERS?

InternalColleaguesBoard membersStudents

WHO ARE OUR CUSTOMERS?External

ParentsCommunity membersEmployees from other districtsStudentsVendors and people with whom we do business

SIX BASIC NEEDS OF SCHOOLCUSTOMERS

1. Friendliness2. Understanding and empathy3. Fairness4. Control5. Options and alternatives6. Information

THE ANGRY CUSTOMER

Customer feels ignoredCustomer was already upset by someone else Customer has a chip on their shoulderSomeone promised something that was not deliveredSomeone was rude to them Customer was transferred without consent or put on hold for a long time

Customer’s integrity or honesty was questionedSomeone argued with customerCustomer feels you don’t know what you are talking aboutCustomer acted on advice provided by someone…and it was wrong

Customer was told they had no right to be angry

WHAT DOES AN ANGRY CUSTOMERSREALLY WANT FROM US?

To be listened toTo be taken seriouslyTo be understoodTo be treated with respectQuick actionSomeone to be reprimanded or punishedAssurance the problem will not occur again

WHAT IS YOUR CONFLICTMANAGEMENT STYLE?

If you chose 'A' answers most often, your style is:

WHAT IS YOUR CONFLICTMANAGEMENT STYLE?

Avoidance

WHAT IS YOUR CONFLICTMANAGEMENT STYLE?

If you chose 'B' answers most often, your style is:

Analyzing

WHAT IS YOURCONFLICTMANAGEMENT STYLE?

If you chose ‘C’ answers most often, your style is:

Assertive

WHAT IS YOURCONFLICTMANAGEMENT STYLE?

If you chose 'D' answers most often, your style is:

Aggressive

FOUR BASIC STEPS TO DEFUSING ANANGRY CUSTOMER

Listen

Ask questions and summarize

Provide a solution and work together

Follow up

EFFECTIVE LISTENING

How do you do this?

LISTEN

LISTEN

LISTEN

TEN STEPS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING

1. Face the speaker and maintain eye contact

2. Be attentive yet relaxed3. Keep an open mind4. Listen to the words and try to picture

what the speaker is saying5. Don't interrupt and don't impose

your “solutions”

TEN STEPS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING

6. Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying questions

7. Ask questions only to ensure understanding

8. Try to feel what the speaker is feeling9. Give the speaker regular feedbacks10. Pay attention to non-verbal cues

QUESTIONS TO USE TO DEFUSE THEANGRY CUSTOMER

Build RelationshipGather InformationClarify InformationIdentify InterestsProvide InformationProbe for SolutionsReframe Positions / Common GroundConfront and Initiate

RESPECTING THE CUSTOMER

Judge the content, not the deliveryLook beyond the anger at the real problem Take notes and don’t forget to summarizeStick to the facts, don’t put in editorial commentsOffer a solution, ask for the customer’s input

RESPECTING THE CUSTOMER

Follow up, complete the necessary paperworkFollow up by calling the person / department responsibleWhen the interaction is complete, apologize and thank the customer

DURING THE INCIDENT

Don’t TIP….(Take It Personally) Never dismiss a complaintGive your undivided attentionSpeak in a calm, reassuring voiceEstablish rapport by using the customer’s nameDon’t start a chain reaction

DURING THE INCIDENT

Practice patience and keep an open mindWhen responding to customers, don’t use jargon or language that intimidatesDon’t shift the blameDon’t make excusesVoiceToneBody Language

AFTER THE CUSTOMER LEAVES

TAKE A BREAK!Inform your supervisorLearn from the experienceWas there anything you could have done differently?

AFTER THE CUSTOMER LEAVES

Did you listen intently and not interrupt?Did you push the customer’s hot button?Could you have said something else to calm the customer?Follow up with the customer

CONCLUSION

It’s up to you. You can be the villain or the hero

Remember not to TIP (Take it Personally)

Share what you learned from the situation with co-workers

CONCLUSION

Handling upset customers is not the job that most of us want to do, but it’s an essential part of our jobs.

What it all boils down to is …What type of story do we want them to tell?…Because they will tell their story

TIPS FOR SCHOOL SECRETARIES

1. Be first to make contact

2. Minimize inconvenience to the customer

3. Be sure of your facts

4. If your not sure, don’t say it

5. Be honest

Ask yourself how you would like to be treated…

TIPS FOR SCHOOL SECRETARIES

6. Know their names

7. Ask for feedback

8. When you listen, make sure you hear

9. Be flexible

10. Say goodbye

Ask yourself how you would like to be treated…

IF YOU SEE SOMEONE WITHOUT A SMILE,

GIVE THEM ONE OF YOURS!

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