Customer Service
Communication style, listening skills, body language and your ability to manage conflict and provide solutions are all key ingredients in customer service.
Communication first, Customer service is a must,we would like students to understand, listing,asking questions, undetsatanding what is being said,and how to reply.
Tiffany,
What specifically do you do to ensure that you have good communications with your students?
I agree. The students are more in tune with you if communication is there.
They always are! everyone can be great when things are going great ... it's how we manage crisis that allows us to be helpful and feel fulfilled with our work
Communication is the most important factor in our daily job. Most people just need to be heard, they need some body to lesson to. Tone of voice, body language, and smiling are parts of our communication style. The students will feel that we care about them and we are there to help them.
Each interaction verbal or non-verbal you have with a students, impacts them. Treating everyone fairly, with a positive attitude, builds respect and incorporates mentoring. Customer service builds into this in all levels. Recognizing our own personal biases, what makes us "tick", and having an intelligent heart is imperative to building good customer service with others. As we develop our own personal character, we are able to build upon our relationships with others, which in turn effects our interaction and customer service, to all we serve. I have this saying "if you meet more than 2 people today who are upset with you, it may be important to look at the fact that you really upset them"....Looking inward, changing ourselves, builds optimal customer service.
Thanks, Tirrell. We use the same service. It has worked well for us.
Hi Jeffrey, we utilize a resource collection service called SRS (Student Resource Services). We have them under contract to provide resource leads to our students free of charge. It is a great tool.
Regards,
Tirrell
Tirrell,
Thank you for this post. Some colleges have either hired professional counselors or have contracted with companies that provide these types of services to their students.
What is your college's strategy when you find that a student may need services the college is not in a position to provide?
Alvin, you are absolutely correct. In our position as Retention Coordinators, we receive information that would make your hair stand on in. We must remain objective and distribute sound advice. No matter the situation, customer service must remain the number one focus in our jobs. Often, when having a bad day, we might need to be extra vigilant in regards to maintaining a welcoming attitude.
Regards,
Tirrell Anthony
Student services encompasses all of these ares. We are involved in all aspect of the education process. We answer questions concernig classes,grades,attendance and personal issues.The methodin which these issues are resolved have agreat impact on the retention of the student. One negative responce that is out of line with customer service can sour a student very quickly.This can be sepecifically challenging when the subject is negitive. We must find a way to make the discussion positive. The moto in our office is that if we don't know the answer we will find it some where on campus!
