Elementary Customer Care Team Members:

Jennifer Sweet, Lesslie Sanders, Molly Weger, Bob Biggers

What is Customer Care?

We’re all aware of what customer service is when we go to a place of business, but we may not realize that as a school we also have customers, and, in fact, our job depends on them. As school employees, our “customers” include parents, students, community members and co-workers.

Customer Care is to “Treat others the way you want to be treated---if you were walking in their shoes.” Parents must feel they are genuinely heard, valued, and an essential part of our school.

What is the Customer Care Committee?

In 2006, Savoy I.S.D. entered into an agreement with Region 10 ESC and Brenda Jean Patrick http://www.brendajeanpatrick.com to make Customer Care a priority at our school. It is a three year training program after which we will be audited for our performance. This Customer Care program will continue to be implemented on an on-going basis. The committee was appointed by administration to be trained in Customer Care skills. The committee meets quarterly for training and assignments, after which the members are responsible for sharing information with the staff.

What is the Customer Care “Employee of the Month” Project?

Customer Care must be a daily consciousness on the part of the staff. We were given an assignment to come up with a project to achieve this goal and document our use of Customer Care on a daily basis. We would like to outline the chosen project :

· Parents or community members are encouraged to fill out a customer care slip for a staff member they have observed exhibiting customer care.

(Slips may be obtained in the office.)

· Each staff member needs to fill out at least one Customer Care Opportunity slip on him or herself each month and place it in the designated box by the time-clock.

· Also, staff members can fill out slips for co-workers when we observe them using Customer Care with parents, students, community members or co-workers.

· Two slips will be drawn each month to award the Customer Care “Employee of the Month” with a priority parking place.

This initiative will remind us and our community that while Savoy ISD may be a small school district, our students are exposed to the best practices of any industry…their teachers are committed to using these best practices!

Winners will be announced monthly.

Customer Care Opportunities

Any situation where you go the extra mile for a student, co-worker, parent or community member.

Examples:

· Diffusing a difficult situation

· Responding positively to a concerned parent

· Doing a favor

· Going beyond what is expected

· Showing an interest in students’ activities

· Handling situations outside of school hours

· Making parent contacts

· Answering a phone that is ringing with a positive tone

· Encouraging a colleague with a customer care suggestion for handling a potentially negative situation

· Explaining why something is done, instead of saying that is how it is done

· Being a good listener

· Showing appreciation

· Being willing to admit fault - and making the commitment to correct

· Saying you're sorry

We hope everyone will join in the “spirit” of the project and have a good time encouraging each other as well as sharing customer care techniques with one another.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact a committee member.

Customer Care Committee:

Bob Biggers

Lesslie Sanders

Jennifer Sweet

Molly Weger