Service and Managing Expectations There are two parts to customer service: 1) Systems – policies, processes, procedures, and software and 2) People – managing, interacting, engaging with the customer to provide service This session focuses providing care and managing expectations, two components of customer service, during our peak registration period. A moment of truth is defined as “Any episode in which a customer comes into contact with any aspect of the organization and gets an impression of the quality of service.” (Albrecht 1988).

Learning Outcomes List reasons service matters. Identify customer service techniques. Differentiate processes for prospective students. Clarify wait times for various processes. Integrate student learning into conversations.

Why Emphasize Service? Welcome Students and Visitors “To be of importance to others is to be alive.” (T. S. Eliot) Demonstrate students matter. Helps to create early connections. Learn students’ names. Helps to build a positive attitude. Supports the community college access mission. According to G.C. Elliot, S. Kao and A.M. Grant, authors of “Mattering: Empirical validation of a social-psychological construct” in Self and Identity, “Mattering is defined as the perception that, to some degree and in any of a variety of ways, we are a significant part of the world around us.” Elliot, Kao and Grant found that “mattering is positively related to self-esteem and perceived social support; it is negatively associated with all forms of self-consciousness and alienation.” Mattering is associate with self-efficacy and self-confidence (Dixon & Griddine)

Customer Service Expectations Welcome! Smile & greet. Positivity. Use excellent communication skills. Listen & clarify. Empathize. Ask open ended questions. How, where, what, why. Ask follow-up questions to clarify. Anticipate questions. The next two slides you may recall from the EC Overview presentation in D2L. Theses points remind us to use our verbal skills and body language in order to be our best. Positivity consists of the whole range of positive emotions – from appreciation to love, from amusement to joy, from hope to gratitude…– Barbara Fredrickson - Author, Positivity

Customer Service Expectations Make a commitment to personally answer students’ questions. Respond to students’ need(s) for oral, written, and hands-on assistance. Educate. Provide options & resources. Provide accurate information. Creates trustworthiness. Establishes integrity. Failure results in loss of confidence in Oakton. Remember students learn in different ways. What one student needs orally communicated, another needs in written form. Offer brochures/forms/websites in your communications. Take time to look up the student record when working with a student in person or on the phone. We know students are disappointed when we do not look at all their admission, registration, and payment information and they later find out they have to come back to an office. If you don’t have access to the screen, call the other department to ask for clarification, ask a co-worker.

Prospective Students Refer to self-service admission, registration & payment… If interest is in a single course. Refer to Recruitment and Outreach… If interest is in full-time enrollment. If interest is in obtaining degree/certificate. If student is unsure of what to do next. Refer to Harper, CLC, Triton, or Chicago CCs If price is a concern and live out of district (and not eligible for business service, chargeback, or joint agreement). Recruitment & Outreach  - If interested in full-time enrollment, degree or certificate completion, or if the student is unsure of what to do next. Recruitment & Outreach Specialists will explain the options at Oakton and walk students through the  enrollment & financial aid process.

Managing Customer Expectations Clarify the student’s goal. Explain the area/person that works with the process. If not sure, double check before referring to the Enrollment Center main desk(s). Refer to FAQ-Timeframe Guidelines Handout. # of days critical

Student Learning Outcomes Student Affairs Students will exhibit a change in behavior or attitude that demonstrates an increased ability to navigate the institution. Enrollment Center Students will complete admission, registration and payment processes using the myOakton and Oakton websites.  Teaching students how to complete tasks online may be new to some students. Encourage them to try self-service and to ask for assistance. Inform students that teaching them how to navigate our processes is our #1 goal.

Customer Care “Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival, to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated.” (Stephen Covey) In closing, Stephen Covey reminds us about how important our care is to those we want to help gain access to Oakton and to graduate from Oakton.