Lesson 1:

What is customer service?

Customer service is a crucial element in any organization, as it can greatly impact the success of the organization and the satisfaction of its customers. To provide good customer service, it is essential to understand its elements.

Good customer service involves various elements, including empathy, effective communication, and problem-solving skills. Empathy allows customer service representatives to understand and relate to their customers’ needs and concerns. Effective communication ensures that customers receive clear and accurate information about products or services. Problem-solving skills enable customer service representatives to address issues and resolve complaints in a timely and effective manner.

Internal Vs. External Customers

Internal Customers	External Customers
In the public works and housing management sectors, an internal customer is someone within the organization who depends on the services or products provided by another department or colleague within the same organization.	On the other hand, an external customer is someone outside the organization who receives services or products from the organization.
For example, in a public works department, the staff in the maintenance department may be considered internal customers of the engineering department, as they depend on the engineering department to provide plans and specifications for repairs and upgrades.	For example, in the housing management sector, tenants of a public housing complex are considered external customers of the housing authority that manages the complex.

It’s important to identify both internal and external customers in order to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are met and to maintain effective communication and collaboration within the organization.

Chief and Council

As a public works and housing manager working in Indigenous communities, the Chief, council and all other band members must be considered. As leaders, the Chief and Council hold responsibility for overseeing a range of community activities, such as Social Services, Health, Public Works, Administration, Economic Development, and other necessary services. To ensure the successful completion of these tasks, the Chief and Council may delegate their powers and responsibilities to a board or committee.

A Public Works and Housing management position is accountable for delivering services in accordance with the direction of Chief and Council through strategic plans, business plans, and agreements with other governments. They are responsible for planning, organizing, staffing, controlling, and directing employees to achieve the goals set by Council.

The Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Saskatchewan (AFOA Saskatchewan) provides some helpful information on the many responsibilities of the Chief and council. It is important for managers to understand these duties, so that everyone works together in an effective and respectful way.

 

Customer Service Strategies

One effective strategy for remembering to incorporate the various elements of customer service in your interactions is called the LEAST method. By keeping in mind, the acronym L.E.A.S.T , which stands for Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Solve and Thank, a manager can be sure tackle customer service challenges effectively.

To ensure that your employees can respond properly to customer service requests, provide them with training on the LEAST technique and the autonomy to make good decisions. It’s important to support your employees, even if they make mistakes, and discuss the matter privately. Empowering your employees to solve problems and knowing that they have management’s backing will enable them to provide excellent service. Additionally, ensure that your customer service training teaches employees to recognize situations that require management involvement.

As a manager, training your employees empowers them by providing them with the tools to be successful in their duties, which includes effective customer service. Customer service impacts every individual’s role within an organization. Regardless of the position held, each employee has a responsibility to ensure that customers’ needs are met, and their experiences are positive. Providing good customer service can lead to increased customer satisfaction, which can result in repeat business, positive word-of-mouth marketing, and an overall positive reputation for the organization/department.

Watch here for 6 tips for providing great customer service: 6 Tips For Improving Your Customer Service Skills

Note: (6 Tips For Improving Your Customer Service Skills | Indeed Career Tips 2022)

Essential Customer Service Skills

Public works and housing management customers require specialized customer service skills. These customers often have unique needs and concerns, and it is important to address them effectively.

To provide good customer service, it is essential to have four key skills:

1. Communication: Effective communication ensures that customers receive clear and accurate information.
2. Problem-solving: Problem-solving skills enable managers and employees to address issues and resolve complaints.
3. Empathy: Empathy allows managers and employees to understand and relate to their customers’ needs and concerns.
4. Time management: Time management skills enable managers and employees to handle customer inquiries and complaints in a timely manner.

1. Communication

Effective communication is crucial for customer service. It involves listening to the customer’s needs and communicating how you plan to meet those needs. Customer service communication includes everyday situations. Communication is not just an important part of customer service for public works and housing managers; it is the most important part. This is because good customer service requires listening to the needs of residents and then telling them how you plan to meet those needs — in other words, communicating with your customers.

 

In the past, Indigenous community members obtained information through traditional methods like visiting, storytelling, or sharing a feast. However, today, with the advent of social networking platforms like Facebook, chat rooms, Twitter, and emails, the youth of the community have adopted these technologies as their primary means of sharing information. It is important for managers to adapt to modern methods of communicating in order to communicate with the community (AFOASK, 2023).

Note: (Harness, 2019)

2. Problem Solving

Public works and housing management positions also rely heavily on all staff and employees to resolve customer problems. Managers require staff and employees who are confident and capable of working through steps to resolve and satisfy a customer’s needs. Problem-solving training is usually emphasized when starting a new job, and customer service skills training will likely describe the steps that need to be taken to solve the customer’s problem.

Effective communication is key in resolving customer issues. The first step is to listen attentively and understand the nature of the problem and its impact on the customer. This allows you to see things from the customer’s perspective and offer solutions that match their needs. Showing empathy is also important, as it helps the customer feel heard and understood. Once you understand the problem, confirm what you have heard and express empathy. This ensures that you are on the same page and helps the customer feel valued.

In situations where customer oversight was the only issue, a specific remedy may not be necessary. However, when your department or service makes a mistake, resolution is important for customer retention and positive word-of-mouth. You need to offer alternative remedies to suit the situation, such as offering a discount on a future purchase (if applicable) or providing an additional service. Going above and beyond to offer extra products or services can also show the customer that you value their business and care about their satisfaction.

Once a solution is agreed upon, it’s important to execute it promptly. This includes fixing the issue and providing any additional remedies. Following up is also crucial to ensure the customer is satisfied with the outcome and to prevent negative word-of-mouth from spreading. By taking these steps, public works and housing management positions can improve their customer service and create positive experiences for their customers.

Note: (Chron Contributor, 2021)

3. Empathy

Empathy is crucial in public works and housing management roles, as it enables managers to better understand the needs and concerns of their customers and stakeholders. By putting themselves in the shoes of the people they serve, managers can establish trust, build positive relationships, and improve customer satisfaction. Customers and stakeholders in public works and housing management are people, with emotions, personalities, and unique situations. They can get frustrated, upset, or angry when they encounter problems with public works projects or housing units. When this happens, they need someone to listen to them without judgment or hostility.

Empathy in public works and housing management helps managers understand how their customers and stakeholders feel and view the situation from their perspective. When managers can do this, they can better understand what their customers and stakeholders are saying (and not saying) and be in a better position to help solve their problems. Empathy also helps managers to establish friendlier relationships with customers and stakeholders, identify their needs, and manage conflicts better. This, in turn, helps to increase customer satisfaction, stakeholder engagement, and build loyalty.

While it may be challenging to maintain empathy in a fast-paced public works and housing management environment, it is a skill that can be coached and developed. By investing in empathy training for managers and staff, organizations can create a culture that prioritizes empathy, leading to better outcomes for customers, stakeholders, and the community.

Note: (Baker, 2022)

4. Time Management

Effective time management is crucial for public works and housing managers who face many daily challenges. With these expert-suggested time management tips, managers can improve productivity and avoid burnout:

1. Stay informed about common issues faced by residents: Residents may not always be able to identify the problems they are facing, and it falls on the public works and housing staff to analyze and resolve issues as quickly and efficiently as possible. To collect feedback from residents, you can create an online form using online form builder tools (Ex. Google Forms is free and easy to use!)
2. Work within a timeframe: Setting a timeframe for every meeting or discussion can help managers be more efficient. If a conversation with a resident is taking too long, politely cut the conversation short and get to the point. Emphasizing the value of residents’ time will not only save time but also improve customer satisfaction.
3. Use a time tracking tool: Time tracking is an effective way to control time usage. By keeping precise records of hours spent on different activities and analyzing performance results, managers can identify inefficiencies and improve productivity. Consider adopting a simple yet powerful time tracking tool like actiTIME.
4. Delegate tasks: Managers don’t have to do everything themselves. Delegating tasks to other team members who are responsible and well-trained can improve efficiency and reduce workload. Providing clear guidelines and being open to discussions can ensure that goals are achieved within specified time limits.
5. Take breaks: Taking small breaks during the workday is essential for maintaining productivity. Public works and housing managers can schedule their day to ensure that break times are marked out. By identifying the most productive hours of the day, managers can schedule important tasks during those hours.

Note: (actiTIME, 2022)

Success in customer service requires a variety of strategies, including actively listening to customers, being responsive to their needs, and maintaining a positive attitude. Customer service representatives should also aim to resolve issues quickly and efficiently and be willing to go above and beyond to meet customers’ needs. Ongoing training and development can help managers and their employees build and refine their skills, leading to improved customer satisfaction and greater organizational success.