IS THE CUSTOMER (SERVICE) ALWAYS RIGHT?

by: Chris Rutledge
Emmanuel Bible College

After reading Dayna’s post on the Marketing Mask (great blog if you haven’t read it make sure that you do) It really started me thinking about customer service and how we as Christian Institutions are doing with our own customer service. As I think back on the Ontario Tour there were many examples of good and bad customer service. The Four Points Sheridan in London had amazing customer service. They treated us to something that we had never had before nor were we expecting it. (I'll definetly stay there again) The Crowne Plaze in Ottawa (as Dayna mentioned) had terrible customer service (it would be nice to have rooms when you check into a hotel). The East Side Mario’s in Stouffville had TERRIBLE customer service (if you don’t believe me ask Joy, Dennis, Tim, or Wib, I don’t want to be picky but most Chicken Teterazzini dishes that I have had COMES WITH CHICKEN). Wib the amazing bus driver had Mad Customer Service Skills (that is a good thing in case you didn’t understand the “mad” part) He always went above and beyond what we expect of him.

But what does customer service mean to us as we look at out institutions. I always find myself trending in dangerous waters as I address our students as customers. First off let me explain my thinking I believe that since a student pays a fee and expects a service in return, this makes them a customer. (Check it out in the Big Webster’s Dictionary) I have been confronted on this ideology a few times and hear the same response over and over and over (and over) again. (The follow needs to be said in a whining type of voice to make it more effective) “Referring to the students as a customer, removes the personal relationship aspect of the institution, the students are not our customers they are our friends” Well it’s time to hear the radio in the morning, if this is how you treat your friends then please call me a customer!

Somewhere along the line we decided that it was OK to not give our students stellar service. We somehow feel that since the student is a Christian (you can not always assume this) that they will give us grace and understanding in return for our lack of service. Friends, this can not be, we must try harder to make our students feel valuable to us. We must stop thinking that the students are there for us, when if it wasn’t for the students we would be out supersizing a lot of meal deals (I am joking of course) The students are the most important aspect of any Christian institution, so we must start making them feel that way. We can not continue to give the students the bare minimum in service. People want to feel like they are important and that they have value.

I am currently publishing a customer service manual for our institution and hopefully will have it done by the new year. I will be posting different sections on this blog to get your feedback and hopefully start making you and your institution think about the service that you provide for your customers (I dare you to go around and use the word customer in front of other staff and faculty and get their reaction)

Here are some questions to get you started in your thinking. 1. Where does your institution lack when it comes to customer service? 2. Are you giving your students great service or only what it takes to get by? 3. What does you institution do well in regard to customer service? (Feel free to share some ideas and experiences on this blog)

Stay Tuned for the Following Blogs

Inexpensive Ways To Provide Amazing Customer Service

Outstanding Customer Service In One Minute

Top Five Customer Service Errors (and their solutions) in Christian Education