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Excellence in Customer Service and Process Improvement

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A commitment to excellent customer service

The Macon State College "Excellence in Customer Service and Process Improvement" initiative began as a training program for staff and expanded to become an opportunity to advance the culture of process improvement and to enhance the experiences of all customers of Macon State. Through the initiative and through development opportunities offered by the University System of Georgia, employees of Macon State College have achieved a better appreciation of their individual roles in the ultimate goals of higher education -- to participate in the development of human potential and to transform lives.

Macon State developed Customer Service Institutional Expectations, and the college's mandatory training program is based on the same standards communicated by the State of Georgia Customer Service Initiative.

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Customer Assistance

Employees should accept responsibility for assisting the customer with her problem/issue.
Employees should use reflective listening, such as paraphrasing for clarity and/or asking probing questions.
Employees should demonstrate empathy with the customer's feelings.
Employees should acknowledge the problem/issue and sincerely apologize.
Employees should solicit additional information and determine if the problem/issue can be resolved immediately. If so, employees should take action to resolve the problem/issue.
If the problems/issues are not immediately resolved, employees should provide information to the customer regarding the next necessary step.
Employees should close the conversation with an offer for additional assistance if applicable or necessary, then thank the customer and let her know they were glad to help.
Employees should extend the same level of superior service to internal and external customers.
Employees should listen to the customer with respect and always be polite and focused on the customer's perspective.
Employees should give the customer their full attention and not be distracted by background noise, such as other customers, typing on keyboards, etc.
Employees should continue all conversations in a pleasant tone even if they do not agree with the customer's statement. Employees should not use a condescending tone but acknowledge the customer's point of view, i.e. ''I understand how you must feel about this ...''
Employees should respond to a customer's request within 24 hours by providing a resolution or status report and/or provide the customer with a clear understanding of the steps needed for a resolution and give an estimate of the time needed to fulfill the request.

Greeting Customers

Employees are encouraged to wear their Macon State College name tags.
Employees should smile and greet customers in person or on the phone in a warm and friendly manner.
If customers are in the office/school, employees should smile and make eye contact. If employees are busy with other customers, they should advise the newly arrived customer that they will be with her momentarily.
Employees should provide quality assistance to customers present in their office/school before answering telephone calls.

General Telephone Service Standards

Employees should always be prepared to answer a phone call and always keep a pen and writing pad near the phone for messages. All messages should include:
-- The caller's name and phone number
-- If offered, the caller's office/department/school
-- The date and time of the message
-- The nature of the message if the caller chooses to disclose that information
-- The employee's name or initials
Employees should use a duplicate telephone message pad and give the original message to the person to whom the original call was placed and refer to the duplicate no later than the next business day to insure communication occurred.
The institution's goal is to have all calls answered by a live person. If an employee is going to be away from his/her desk for an extended period, calls should be forwarded to another employee or to voicemail.
All telephone messages should be clearly and promptly communicated, with follow-up to determine that appropriate return calls were placed.
Time away from the employee's work station should be managed. The employee should ensure that there is ample telephone coverage.
The employee should speak in a clear, calm, upbeat, non-hurried, professional manner.
The employee should close the call with an offer for additional assistance if applicable or necessary.
The employee should extend the same level of superior service to internal and external contacts.

Answering the Telephone

The employee should answer telephone calls immediately or at least by the third ring.
The employee should answer each call with the following information:
-- Identify Macon State College and the appropriate office/school.
-- Identify yourself using both your first and last name.
-- Offer to help the caller.
-- Example script: Macon State College, Registrar's Office, Martha Washington speaking, may I help you?
If the employee is unable to answer the phone in three rings, she should apologize to the caller.

Placing the Caller on Hold

If the employee is answering a call for another employee, she should place the caller on hold before locating the other employee. Before placing the caller on hold, ask if the caller is able to hold.
If the employee has placed a caller on hold, she should check back within the first 30 seconds and always say, ''Thank you for holding.'' If the caller does not want to continue to hold, the employee should offer to take a message or forward the caller to voicemail if available.
Example script: Will you hold, please? ... I am sorry Mary Lincoln is out of her office. Would you like to leave a message or be transferred to her voicemail?

Transferring a Call

The employee should transfer a caller only when absolutely necessary and provide the caller with the name and telephone number of the office or the person to whom the call is being transferred in case the call is disconnected.
The employee should indicate to the person to whom the call is being transferred the caller's name and the nature of the call.
The employee should transfer calls with care, being sure to check the extension, and always transfer calls to a manned telephone.
When transferring a call, the employee should not transfer a customer more than two times. The employee should always tell the person to whom the call is being transferred the number of times the customer has been transferred and, if necessary, take the customer's name and number and take responsibility for conveying the message to the appropriate person for follow-up.
The employee should ask the customer's permission before transferring his/her call to voicemail.

Using Voicemail

Voicemail should be used as a last resort during business hours.
A recorded voicemail message should provide an option for reaching a live person and should include expectations for a return call.
Employees should keep their voicemail messages current.
Employees are responsible for managing their voicemail to avoid having a full voicemail box.

Checking Voicemail

Voicemail should be checked at least twice each day. Voicemail messages that are left in the morning should be returned by the afternoon of the same day. Voicemail messages that are left in the afternoon should be returned by the following business morning.
The employee should apologize to the customer for missing his/her phone earlier phone call.
It is unacceptable if a caller receives a constant busy signal or constant ringing with no answer.
The employee should take responsibility for helping the customer. This includes listening actively to questions, communicating in a friendly manner and following up to make sure the customer has been properly served.
The employee should verbally thank all customers and let them know that she was glad to help.

Email Standards

E-mail should be checked at least twice each day. E-mail messages received in the morning should be responded to by the afternoon of the same day. E-mail messages that are left in the afternoon should be responded to by the following business morning.
If an employee will be away from the office for several days, the e-mail message should state the time that the employee will be out of the office and should indicate a contact for immediate assistance. When the employee returns to the office, every effort should be made to review all e-mails and respond by the end of the first business day back in the office.
Business-related responses should include name, title, office/school and contact information. Use the signature feature of Outlook to add this information.
If the e-mail response involves a referral to another office/school or person, full contact information should be provided in the response.
Employees are responsible for managing their e-mails to avoid having a full in-box.

Be Helpful and Knowledgeable

Employees should answer a customer's questions accurately and provide appropriate support such as forms, directions, etc. If employees do not know the answer to a customer's question, they should conduct research to determine an accurate response.
Employees should reduce ''bouncing'' or the ''run around'' of customers.
Employees should provide the customer with the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the person who can provide further assistance if needed in the future.
Employees should always maintain a pleasant and professional tone.

Customize Technology to Meet the Customers' Needs

Employees should familiarize themselves with the student e-mail address rubric in order to assist students requesting information.
Employees should familiarize themselves with the BannerWeb access rubric in order to assist students requesting information.
Employees should familiarize themselves with information provided to them on staff portal dashboards in order to assist customers seeking information pertaining to such things such as financial aid, degree programs, student portal page, etc.
Employees should determine if their voicemail system could be reconfigured to provide better service to customers.
Employees should determine if additional technology might assist them in better serving customers (i.e. hands-free headset, cordless phone) and make the appropriate requests.

Staff Resources
This area of our Web site has been designed to support the work of MSC staff and to reinforce the goal of faster, friendlier and easier customer service at Macon State.

Comments or questions about MSC's Customer Service? Please click here and send them to us.

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Campus Events

Visitor Parking
Visitors to campus should park in designated visitor parking spaces or in student parking. First time visitors who receive parking citations should complete and follow the directions on the visitor portion of the ticket. Those visitors that are participating in a Continuing Education courses or meetings should obtain a parking pass from the Continuing Education Department (478) 471-2770.

Additional resources for visitors

Governor's Commendation

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue's Office of Customer Service presented the Governor's Commendation for Excellence in Customer Service to Macon State College at the 2009 Annual Governor's Awards Ceremony on Sept. 28 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The college was one of the finalists for the the governor's awards, which promote faster, friendlier, easier service for Georgians.

Institution of the Year Award

For the third consecutive year, Macon State's Customer Service program has earned the Silver Award for Institution of the Year in the Chancellor's Annual Customer Service Awards program. The Silver Award is the second highest award in this category.

The Silver Award for Institution of the Year award was given in recognition of the college's completion of several projects in the 2008-09 year. These included:

A reduction in energy consumption by general-use and classroom computers during the time they were not in use.
More efficient scheduling of campus facilities.
Decreasing the turn-around time for graduation audits.
An improved work flow in the financial aid office by increasing the number of students who apply for financial aid early.
Formal, on-going and mandatory customer training programs.

Additionally, for the first time, Lynn McCraney has been selected to receive the top individual award in the program, the Joseph Green Award for Champion of the Year.

The awards program was created to honor employees who have gone “above and beyond” their normal job responsibilities in helping their internal and external customers and consistently promoting customer service excellence. The University System, which is part of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s customer service initiative that covers all state agencies, recognizes colleges and universities annually. Dean McCraney is the officially designated customer service champion for Macon State, which means she coordinates Macon State's customer service initiatives.

Champion of the Year-Lynn McCraney with Chancellor Davis and Regent Hatcher at the Chancellor’s Customer Service Awards Ceremony, September 15, 2009. The College received the Silver Award for Customer Service Institution of the Year.

Hilda Elias receives Customer Service Award

Hilda Elias receives the 2008-09 Customer Service Award from Dr. David Bell, president of the college. Also present for the ceremony were Levy Youmans, vice president for fiscal affairs (far left), and Nancy Stroud, assistant vice president for fiscal affairs (far right).

Elias receives 2008-2009 Excellence in Customer Service Award

April 1, 2009 - Hilda Elias, cashier in the Business Office Payment Center, received the award for Excellence in Customer Service from President David Bell at the 2009 Honors Convocation. Ms. Elias received a plaque and $1,000 from the Macon State College Foundation.

The award was designed to recognize the outstanding efforts of the staff member who consistently displays the attributes of courtesy, helpfulness, accessibility, responsiveness and knowledge of his/her areas of responsibility. The recipient also serves as a role model who will advance a culture of leaders who strive for continuous improvement and respect for others.

Dr. Barbara Frizzell, vice president for academic affairs, announced the award. She said, "Our commitment to Excellence in Customer Service is based on our belief that our internal and external customers should always receive service that is courteous, helpful, easily accessible, responsive and knowledgeable -- not because of the state and system mandates, but because we believe it is the right thing to do."

Elias' supervisor, Nancy Stroud, assistant vice president for fiscal affairs, wrote in her nomination letter: “Let’s face it, Ms. Hilda (as she is affectionately called by many students) deals in dollars and cents, and the news she often has to deliver is not what the student wants to hear, but she delivers it in a calm, caring manner that students recognize and appreciate as genuine. Ms. Hilda is a true customer service champion for Macon State College.”

Macon State President David A. Bell and Dean of Students Lynn McCraney, 4th and 5th from left, are shown with representatives of other University System of Georgia institutions that won Customer Service awards.

Macon State Takes Home Another Customer Service Award

December 17, 2008 - For the second year in a row, Macon State College has been awarded the University System of Georgia’s Silver Award for Customer Service Institution of the Year. In addition, the Macon State Financial Aid Call Center received an honorable mention in the Call Center/Service Desk/Help Desk category.
The University System, which is part of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s customer service initiative that covers all state agencies, recognizes colleges and universities annually for excellence in customer service. Lynn McCraney, dean of students, is the officially designated customer service champion for Macon State, which means she coordinates Macon State's customer service initiatives.
Macon State received the 2008 Silver Award based on several factors. Those included:
1. Providing on-going training for frontline staff in ways to provide the best service possible to students and other constituents.
2. Creating an Outstanding Customer Service award – which includes a $1,000 bonus funded by the Macon State Foundation - now given annually to an individual employee who excels at customer service.
3. Creating a Financial Aid call center to faster and more efficiently serve students seeking resources to pay for their education.
4. Embracing training opportunities in Lean/Six Sigma (a workplace efficiency improvement method) offered by the University System.
5. Enlarging the Admissions, Registrar's and Business offices to better accommodate students.

This year’s recipient of the Staff Award for Excellence in Customer Service is Ms. Pat Fountain, Secretary, School of Business.

Dr. David Bell and Pat Fountain.

Fountain receives College's first Customer Service Award

April 2, 2008 - Pat Fountain, secretary in the School of Business, received the first award for Excellence in Customer Service from President David Bell at the 2008 Honors Convocation. Ms. Fountain received a plaque and $1,000 from the Macon State College Foundation.

Dr. Barbara Frizzell, Vice President for Academic Affairs, announced the award. She said, "Our commitment to Excellence in Customer Service is based on our belief that our internal and external customers should always receive service that is courteous, helpful, easily accessible, responsive and knowledgeable -- not because of the state and system mandates, but because we believe it is the right thing to do."

Those co-workers who nominated Fountain said of her, "She is a model student advocate, a diligent professional. She brings enthusiasm, good judgment and tremendous integrity to her work."

Institution of the Year

November 27, 2007 - Macon State College received the Silver Award for Customer Service Institution of the Year from the University System of Georgia. Also, the College's Excellence in Customer Service Task Force received an honorable mention in the competition for the University System of Georgia's Excellence in Customer Service Team Award.

Governor's Commendation

January 25, 2008 - The Excellence in Customer Service Task Force received a Governor's Commendation for Customer Service Excellence. The presentation said: "This commendation recognizes meritorious actions that enhance the public image of customer service or improve the way customer service is provided in Georgia."

The Task Force was nominated by the USG Customer Service Champion based on the outstanding results of the implementation of mandatory customer service training for all front-line staff. This effort on behalf of Macon State College provides a great demonstration of dedication to improving customer service. Ninety-seven percent of the participants indicated they would recommend the training to other staff members. This is a positive reflection of the quality of the work the Customer Service Task Force has produced.

Click the links below to review details of the College's current and past "Excellence in Customer Service" activities.

Email comments and questions to customerfocus@maconstate.edu
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