AGENDA
Define Customer Service
Discuss 8 Rules for Good Customer
Service
Face Reality
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Good customer service is all about bringing
customers back. And about sending them
away happy - happy enough to pass positive
feedback about your office along to others,
who may then enroll at your institution for
themselves and in their turn become repeat
customers.
8 RULES
1.
Answer your phone
 Return Calls
2.
Don’t make promises unless you will keep them
3.
Listen
 Be Honest
4.
Deal with Complaints (before they are elevated)
5.
Be helpful
8 RULES
6. Train Staff to be
 Helpful
 Courteous
 knowledgeable
7. Go the extra mile
 Make a Phone Call
 Walk student to location
8. Throw in something Extra
 Advice
 Handout/Pamphlet/Web address
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Reality – Sending customers away
happy enough that they do not
complain to your boss or the
President of the College.
RULES REALITY
Answer your phone – I was in meetings all day
 Return Calls
Don’t make promises unless you will keep them
 I meant to call you back but I got distracted by the emergency request
for data
Listen
 Goes both ways
 You have been saying the same thing for the last 20 minutes.
Deal with Complaints (before they are elevated)
Be helpful
 Define helpful 
RULES REALITY
Train Staff
 I learned a long time ago that I can teach a person how to process
aid but I can’t teach them how to be a good person
Go the extra mile
 Be careful not to get drawn into things that are out of your area of
control
 Be prepared to not be recognized for your efforts, Ex.
Throw in something Extra
 Advice might not always be accepted or appreciated
 Handout/Pamphlet/Web address should be relevant
REALITY
Most schools try to provide good customer service
Institutional and Federal Policies often Conflict with good customer
service
Perception trumps Reality
One size does not fit all
The customer is NOT always right
Some days you just don’t feel like havin’ it
REALITY CHECK
Consider surveys and or secret shoppers
Make a list of customer service ideas
 Select one or two to put into practice
Study businesses or schools that have the reputation
that you want
Determine what your current strengths are
 Normally we focus on what we don’t do well
Stay proactive
SUMMARY
“If you aren’t taking
care of your
customers, your
competition will.”
THANK YOU
Sharon Hassan
Director of Financial Aid
Prince George’s Community College
301-322-0766
hassanse@pgcc.edu
