Setting: A supervisor sitting in his or her office.
It's time to prepare for year-end evaluations. Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that we did mid-year reviews? I'm really not looking forward to doing this again. Everyone is busy and the staff knows what I expect. Besides, it seems that things are going just fine in this office.
HANDLE WITH CARE: Seven Strategies for Sticky Situations
Customer service expert Janelle Barlow cites research indicating that positive emotions encourage more wide-ranging and creative thinking than do negative emotions. She says that we can be more effective with our customers if we remain positive. That seems obvious, she admits, but think how seldom the advice is followed.
Most of us are familiar with the best-seller, Life's Little Instruction Book or have seen some list of axioms that give advice on living. It's interesting that advice on good living also applies to good customer service. For instance:
The runaround. We've all experienced it, and it is maddening! Unfortunately, the runaround happens on our campus. People take notice of organizations that consistently provide excellent telephone service. As an institution that prides itself on personal service, we need to give more attention to our telephone communications and can begin by adopting the following techniques:
"If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place." -Margaret Mead
It was Rodney Dangerfield who made us laugh when he repeatedly complained, "I get no respect." It's not so funny when people feel that way about the workplace. Examples abound: ignoring phone messages, disregarding the work of others, condescending tones, or coming to work without so much as a how-do-you-do?
