MODULE 2
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CUSTOMER SERVICE
By Dale Pfeiffer
Session Learning Objectives
Customer Service
• Understand the Basics of Customer Service
• Understand the 7-Steps of a Customer Service Plan
Development Model
• Describe the 7-Step Model at Work
• Understand how to take Customer Service beyond the 7Steps
REVIEW OF THE BASICS
• Understanding the essential difference between
government and business customer service
• Know what constitutes good customer service
• Know how to help employees provide better customer
service
What is Good Customer Service
• Philosophy of excellence in customer service must be
incorporated into day to day operations.
• Systems must be built to provide structure to both the
customer and the employees who serve them.
• Staff should be given the right tools, training and consistent
support.
• This is NOT an overnight program!
The Role of Managers in
Customer Service
• The first step is develop a comprehensive strategic plan.
• Understand the balance of responding to individual citizen’s
request and providing the general public with adequate LOS
for maintaining infrastructure.
• This balance is guided by Mission, Vision and Value
statements which are the starting point for the strategic plan.
• Management must provide the work orce with the
information, action and skills needed to succeed.
Basics of Developing a Strategic
Plan for Customer Service – a
Case Study
VACAVILLE’S 7 STEPS OF AN
EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER
SERVICE PLAN DEVELOPMENT
MODEL
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Establish and reiterate the vision of
customer service as a part of the department’s mission
statement and supporting goals
Since the early 1990s a Customer Service Plan has been in
place.
In 2001 the Department revised its Customer Service Plan
as a part of a Citywide effort.
A 7-Step Model was developed to use as a blueprint for all
Customer Service efforts throughout the City.
Managers and line employees must buy into the concept of
developing a Plan.
Citywide and Department Mission/Vision statements must
support the effort.
Customer Service must be supported from the Top Down.
City of Vacaville Department of Public
Works Mission Statement
• “Service is our Business”
City of Vacaville Department of Public
Works Supporting Goals
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Gain and hold our customers’ respect….
Remain competitive in our services and excel in quality…..
Load proactively by seeking innovative solutions……
Treat our employees as our greatest resource……
City and Department Mission and
Vision Statements
• Do you have them?
• Do they support each other?
• Do they reflect a commitment to good customer service?
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IDENTIFY EXISTING
CUSTOMERS AND SERVICES
• Each work group identified key customers and major
services.
• Services --- activities performed, information provided,
functions involved.
• Developed correlation matrix mapping key customers to
major services.
Do You Know Who Your Customers
Are?
• Engineering
• Central Garage
• Development Engineering
Do You Know What Services are
Provided?
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DEVELOP SURVEY INSTRUMENTATION
& COLLECT DATA
• Customer/service correlation matrices serve as a springboard
for survey development.
• Provide training sessions to assist employees in survey
design/development.
• Survey data collection --- depends on how best to contact
your customers.
What are the different ways we can
contact and acquire information about
our customers’ needs?
Develop action plans to implement proposed changes and
suggested improvements
• Action plans must be developed and prioritized to address
areas of greatest importance.
• During the initial round of development in Vacaville, 74
action plan items were identified.
• Action items served to lead and guide customer service
efforts of each work group.
Complete department customer
service plan
• Incorporate action items into the customer service Plan.
• Submit the plan to city leadership and the public works
steering committee for review and approval.
• Use the plan as a baseline for the department’s customer
service efforts.
Conduct employee training
• Provide employees with training opportunities for action
items identified in the customer service plan.
• New employee orientation should incorporate customer
service training focusing on key concepts and core values.
Sustain customer satisfaction through ongoing monitoring, assessment and updating
• Continue to review customer service performance
standards, programs , procedures & policies.
• For example: All 74 of Vacaville’s public works action
items were achieved.
• Along the way new action items have been discovered,
developed and addressed.
Vacaville’s Department of Public Works 2006
Customer Service Workplan
• There is more to customer service than just measuring
performance.
• How we go about delivering our services is equally
important.
• Success is the relationship we cultivate with our external
and internal partners.
• Public awareness makes the difference.
MEASURING SUCCESS
• In 2000 a citywide survey measured overall public satisfaction
with City service at 79% (good to excellent)
• City’s goal was to increase this to over 80%.
• 2005 citywide survey showed satisfaction rose to 81%.
• Public Works ratings of good to excellent in 2005 were:
Street maintenance: 63%
Park maintenance: 87%
Refuse collection: 90%
• The ultimate measurement is the 2006 Mayor/Council election.
How Do You Measure Success?
CUSTOMER SERVICE
BEYOND THE 7-STEPS
• Once the customer service plan has been implemented, it’s time
to focus on even more effective methods of customer service.
• Re-examine how to better deliver services, promote partnerships
and improve public awareness.
Developing a Long Term
Customer Services Strategic Plan
• For customer service efforts to succeed, a long term strategic
plan is needed.
• The strategic plan must address how to keep customer Service
efforts up-to-date and how to infuse the appropriate culture
into the organization.
• Training and education, partnering, and working with the
public are all important.
Fostering Upper Management’s Role,
Commitment and Involvement in the
Customer Service Process
• Upper management’s involvement is essential.
• Ideally, involvement begins at the executive level of
government and continues downward.
• At minimum, customer service must be a performance
measure for the director of public works, division heads,
managers and supervisors.
• Discussions with other city departments and a citywide
customer service advisory committee are also important.
How to More Effectively Deal with Both
Internal and External Customers
• Education, training and attitude adjustments are needed.
• The “how to” aspect of customer service is more complex
than previously realized – it does not automatically occur.
• The attitude we portray and the image we project helps
ensure customers feel respected and important.
Education, Training and
Collaborative Employee Efforts
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Anticipating customer needs
Determining we are truly meeting customers’ needs
Timeliness
Going beyond the minimum
Following-up to ensure satisfaction
Fully informing customers of upcoming projects/tasks
Evaluating impacts from all points of view
Maintaining adequate and effective communication
Exploring incentives for employees exemplifying customer
service in action
Education, Training and
Collaborative Employee Efforts
(continued)
• Provide training focusing on the “how to’s” of customer service
• Consider what we must do differently since we are the only
game in town
• Implement new and innovative training models such as Disney’s
“Keys to Excellence” program
• Consider other types of customer service training: predetermined scripts, communications skills, diffusing difficult
situations
• PW director and managers frequently discuss customer service
in their communications to staff
• Assign one person as a “champion” of customer service