mortiz0010

A college president called me about having a workshop at his school . They are looking at a potential large enrollment drop following the end of the first semester. He said he wanted me to only focus on the positive aspects of the school’s customer service. “I always believe in focusing on the good. What we do well. Use that as a basis to build.” “Ahhh” I replied. “There is part of your problem right there. You need to focus on the negatives. On what students are complaining about. We need to set up a system that encourages students to complain.” He was aghast. “You want us to get our students to complain? But that will just encourage them to be unhappy and focus on the negatives. Besides, I don’t need more problems. I want fewer of them.” “Exactly the reason to elicit as many complaints as you can.” I replied. “You cannot fix a problem until you know about it. If you aren’t aware of issues, they sit there, fester, grow and then explode in attrition rates. ...

One of the most powerful customer service tools is simply not used enough nor that well. “What? What did you say? I’m sorry I wasn’t really listening.” Right. That’s the problem and the tool. Listening God in her infinite wisdom gave us two ears and one mouth to tell us something. To listen twice as much as we talk. But we don’t really listen very well or actively. No most of us are very much like doctors who only listen to their patients 28 seconds before making a preliminary diagnosis of what the illness is. That is why so many people end up with incorrect prescriptions or tests. Because the doctor really did not listen to what the problem really I before determining what the answer would be. That also explains the colonoscopy when you came in with a cough… It is rather amazing how much one can learn simply by listening to another person. So much of customer service is based upon listening that it is a very impressive skill that one must learn and practice in every situation. One can...

They are not coming to us to buy a shirt, or skirt or an IPhone or any retail goods or anything material at all. They are after an intangible. Students come to school to obtain education, knowledge, improvement and growth. And most importantly, the certification they will need to get to the job or next step in their lives. They are incomplete individuals who are intellectually weak or ill in a sense. They go to school and classes to learn how to make themselves stronger and sounder. They come to higher education realizing they are incomplete and intellectually weak beings that have to learn how to strengthen mind and body to be able to run and compete in the marathon of career and adult life. As if higher education were a large clinic filled with specialists who will help them find out what is wrong with them. Then provide them answers, remedies and prescriptions that will make them better and stronger. As if faculty were intellectual physicians. Actually, students and faculty/staff ...