i had never considered external and internal customers! this was a great lesson! Thank you
While external customers at our institution include many individuals and organizations, our primary external customers are our students.
I serve the students by striving to not only educate them in the fields that they are pursuing, but also to share study skills, and real life experiences to further better the student.
I am thankful to say that I had a great experience in undergaduate and graduate school with an excellent group of individuals on our faculty who went above and beyond expectations to assist in our development of becoming professionals in our field. I try to model myself after the educational styles that were demonstrated by my professors during my college career. I hope that our students benefit from this style as much as I have.
Our role as vocational / career school is to create valuable graduates that will serve our community, by becoming effective assets to the local employers, that will be able to provide greater customer service in return.
Jorge, It sounds like you are a great ambassador for the school! Keep it up!
Dr. Jean Norris
I have been involved in my vocational school for more than 7 years now and I have come to realize that I am one of the embassadors for my school.
Recently I also realized that I do not need the company logo or anything that has the name of the company... just stricking conversations with a person from drug store to groceries and anything in between, people ask "What do you do"? and it is there where I pull my fishing rod and reel them in as potential clients.
Julie, Wow that is exciting! How specifically are you more active within the community?
Dr. Jean Norris
I have seen a profound impact on the external community. For example, I serve on several committees with the local chamber of commerce. People see that we are willing to help the community and that we are approachable. I find that being approachable is not something that is done by all businesses.
I recently was promoted to a new position that allows me to be in the community more. I am now the Liaison for the school. In the few months that we have been more active in the community, we have received so much positive feed back and so many offers to work with other businesses. Recognizing the external customers brings more internal customers and a stronger level of morale.
Julie, Wow, that sounds great! What kind of impact does this have on your external community, do you think?
Dr. Jean Norris
As a Cosmetology school, our external customers are members of the community, our student's family and our clients. I work very closely with the local chamber of commerce to create alliances with other businesses and network with other businessman and business woman. We offer salon services for student practice for clients. They are also external clients. We serve them by offering services, customer service and needs assessments.
James, These are all great examples of internal clients, and really important ones at that. Who are some of your external clients?
Dr. Jean Norris
Angela, Well said! Thank you for sharing.
Dr. Jean Norris
Before they ever start school the help from the financial department, all the paperwork that must be completed, answering any questions they may have. We try to get as much of the paperwork done up front so that when they do start school they're not as stressed as some who prefer to wait until school actually starts. Encouraging them to go ahead and get their job applications ready so when they graduate they have a job waiting for them (short school) and that helps them enjoy school more.
External customers are all of the potential people in the community who observe the interaction of the students as they complete their clinical practice. Their families and friends are included in this large group. My personal role is in recognition of them as each opportunity occurs. I make an effort to use direct eye contact, smile, and make an honest and complimentary comment about the student that brings them to the external customer status.
Paul, Great, so how do you go about providing customer service to those external customers?
Dr. Jean Norris
Our brand partners have been identified as our customers so I assume they are not external although I do not have interactions with them. The dealers and other employers as well as trade organizations such as ASE would be external.
Apryl,
Interesting. What makes extern sites your number one external customer?
Dr. Jean Norris
Extern sites are the number one External Customer
Andrew, That is a great perspective! Thank you for sharing.
Dr. Jean Norris
Patricia, Great! What specifically do you do to provide great customer service?
Dr. Jean Norris
charles, Great awareness! You are exactly on point.
Dr. Jean Norris
