Monday, December 9, 2013

Everything I Needed to Know to be a Leader I Learned Bagging Groceries

The first job I ever had was working as a courtesy clerk at a grocery store. Working their, my main tasks were bagging groceries, gathering carts, and cleaning up messes. I was also instilled early on by my managers, that as a courtesy clerk, I was on the front lines of superior customer service. “People can shop anywhere for groceries,” I was once told, “we are all selling the same pack of Oreos. Customer service is what creates loyalty and commitment. Customer service is what separates good stores from great ones. Customer service makes the Oreos taste fresher.”

I recognize that my school is like most other schools. We are all selling the same Oreos. We all are offering our students a basic education, that will hopefully allow them to lead the lives that they desire. What separates the good schools from the great ones is a commitment to superior customer service. Great schools go above and beyond to deliver high quality service to their students, families and communities, even when they do not have to. Below are the rules of customer service that I learned in my days as a courtesy clerk and still serve as the foundation of beliefs about what great schools do.

1) Welcome Everyone in a Friendly Manner - Schools, like stores, are big intimidating places. When someone visits for the first time, the worry about being lost, not finding what they need, and just want to get in and out as quickly as possible. We want our students, families, and communities to feel like that the school is a place where they feel comfortable and want to return to again and again, not a place of anxiety and dread. Being welcoming and friendly can accomplish this. My manager told me to greet like I, “was running for office.” Now when I see someone new to the school, I ask their name, what they need and tell them to find me if they need anything. I want everyone who walks in the door, to feel like they are part of something special, and to come back again and again.

2) Anticipate Need and Escort to Item - At my store, we could never just tell a customer where the eggs were, we had to show them. Along the way we would have a conversation and the customer felt like they were getting the personal attention they may not get other places. At my school, if I see a parent in the hallway, I stop and ask them if I can help them. If they are looking for an office, or a teacher, I walk with them. I find that it allows me to have a few more seconds of personal connection. I find that many times, parents do not feel like the get special attention, and often times feel in the way. With every interaction, I try to show them how special they and that they have a welcome place inside our school

3) Handle Special Requests Promptly - I am a firm believer in dealing with problems at the lowest possible levels. In the classroom, I try to deal with everything with the student first, before I involve anyone else. The more people that are involved, often the further we get from a desirable solution. In the school if I am asked about a problem, or just a general question, I try to answer it right there. While schedules, or athletics eligibility, or bus schedules are not a normal routine, if I can find the answer I do. If I do not have an answer, I make sure I explain how I will find the answer or take them to the person who can. In my experience people often want to see that their questions are valued. The answer is important, but how the questions are handled expresses more than the answer ever can.

With a great customer service, everything about the school becomes better. It builds deep connections with those inside and outside of the school. It builds loyalty and commitment. It separates the school where you run in, get what you need and run out from the one where you feel welcome and return often. If a great school is one in which students feel welcome, parents feel respected, and communities feel engaged, then they can be achieved with a focus on customer service. I feel like this is a secret to school success and all I had to do was bag groceries in high school to figure it out

No comments:

Post a Comment