Customer Service

"One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others." - Lewis Carroll

     Today's post will be short, as I am currently busy serving paying customers. It may seem callous, but one thing that we have to consider when helping students and their parents/guardians is that they are paying to be here. Their attendance at the university, their presence in the residence halls, their involvement in certain programs - all of these earn the university money. It's the cold, hard truth (and cash - the phrase works both ways).

     Because of that truth, we have to do our best during opening to show residents what they are paying for in the halls. I wrote a letter to parents and guardians introducing myself and Residence Life's mission to them, and this letter is available to anyone who would like one when they move-in. I make sure that we have at least two people outside to greet people as soon as they pull up to the curb in front of the hall. I also have information about Hall Council right there for them to pick-up, learning how to become involved on campus right away. And, most importantly, I have myself and the RAs I supervise right there, all with smiling, excited faces. That is the customer service that students and their family and friends experience from the start.

     My staff and I have also learned that going the extra mile can pay off. For example, yesterday there was a resident and his parents who arrived early, wanting to look at the room he would be moving into today. I almost declined the request, but when I realized that the room they wanted to see was on a at-the-time vacant floor, and his father would not be able to see him move-in today, I agreed to bring them up and show them the room. It definitely paid-off, as the parents were profusely thankful, and they were able to get a few pictures of the resident in front of his door and with his father in the building as well. It was not only nice to see that moment, but also great to know that the parents had a positive first experience with Residence Life. Because of that moment, they may be more likely to sign the resident up for housing on campus next year, giving us another resident to help along in their development, and Housing another paying customer.

Quote Citation: Carroll, L. (n.d.). Goodreads.com. Retrieved from: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/47608-one-of-the-deep-secrets-of-life-is-that-all.

Photo By: Me (some little creature that I met on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa =] )