NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Customer Service Understanding the importance of a positive customer service experience and how it will support your mission Instructor: Robert Paquette Chief, Rhode Island State Parks

NASPD Directors 2012 Leadership School Course Goal To strengthen your understanding of the power and importance of establishing a customer service culture that results in devoted customers that love and support your mission.

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Course Objectives This course will empower you to: Understand the impacts of negative customer service. Create a superior customer service culture that is consistent with your Brand Promise. Implement superior customer service by empowering your employees. Analyze customer service failures and successes. More effectively respond to customer complaints. Implement strategies to monitor customer satisfaction.

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Course Overview I.Importance of customer service to your mission II.Defining your Brand Promise III.Empowering your employees to deliver superior customer service in your state park IV.Successfully resolving complaints by honoring customer values V.Monitoring customer satisfaction

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Questions we will explore Why should we care about customer service? What are the expectations of our customers? What are reasons why we might lose a customer? How does latest technology affect our customers? Where and how do you keep those promises through customer service? How do we know if we are meeting our customer service goals successfully?

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Class Preparation In order to use our time most effectively during class, please complete the three assignments outlined in the following slides. Recommended reading is also included as optional tasks.

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Preparation # 1 The basis for establishing your customer service goals is understanding the Brand Promise of your State Park (more background is provided on the next slide). Please take the attached Brand Promise Survey, which is designed to help you identify the most important promises that you are making to your customers. Follow the survey instructions carefully. Consider inviting your staff to take the Brand Survey with you and combine your results. Bring your survey results with you to class.

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School The Brand Promise Your Brand Promise is the Holy Grail of your customer service goals and objectives. The Brand Promise describes the unique services and experiences your visitors can consistently expect when they visit a state park. Your Brand Promise begins before the visitor arrives, existing as an abstract thought in the visitor’s mind about the value of State Parks and who you are as an organization. It gains momentum as the visitor first enters your State Park and comes into contact with your places, other visitors, volunteers and your staff. A Brand Promise is so strong that it can influence the way a person behaves while visiting your park to conform with your Brand.

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Preparation # 2 Once you have completed your Brand Promise survey, please use your responses to complete the following sentences: 1. The ideal state park is a place where… 2. The ideal visitor to a state park is someone who….. 3. A visitor to a state park will feel…. 4. A visitor would describe my ideal state park staff as…. There are no wrong answers to these questions! These sentences will reflect the priorities you identified in your Brand Survey. They are your key messages that comprise your Customer Service goals. Bring your sentences with you to class. Examples are provided on the next slide.

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Example Messages Examples of Key Messages: –“The ideal state park is a place where…people can connect, through the beauty and serenity of nature, whether picnicking, camping or exploring woodlands and marshes on scenic trails, in a safe, clean and welcoming place that belongs to them.” -- “A visitor to a state park will feel…stress-free, even revitalized, and will leave with happy memories to sustain them.” -- “The ideal visitor to a state park is someone who… will support our mission through future stewardship and refferals to family and friends.”

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Preparation # 3 Please bring with you to class at least one copy of a letter or from a customer providing either positive or negative feedback regarding their experience in your park. We will use these real life experiences to talk about what went right or wrong in our customer service efforts and how we responded.

Preparation # 4 Please bring with you to class, situations that you feel technology has changed the patron experience towards Customer Service in a positive or negative manner NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Summary of Tasks 1.Take the Brand Promise Survey and bring your results to class. 2.Complete the four sentences that represent your key messages from the Brand Survey and bring them to class. 3.Bring at least one copy of a letter or from a customer providing either positive or negative feedback regarding their experience in your park. 4.Consider how technology has changed your user’s experience and be prepared to discuss positive changes that technology can help customer service.

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Highly Recommended Reading “Be Our Guest” Perfecting the Art of Customer Service By: Disney Institute (2001) This book is available in bookstores or Amazon.com. It is easy reading and for someone in the field where customer service is a priority, it will be tough to put down. Whether they are called clients, customers, constituents, or, in Disney-speak, guests, all organizations must best serve the people who purchase their products and services or risk losing them. Be Our Guest outlines proven Disney principles and processes for helping your organization focus its vision and align its people and infrastructure into a cohesive strategy that delivers on the promise of exceptional customer service.

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Sample Exam Questions 1.Name three ways that you can empower your employees to provide superior customer service. 2.A key to managing visitor conflict and complaints successfully is by appealing to a visitor’s _______________. 3.Name a service that can positively enhance your visitor’s experience through technology?

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School Questions? Robert Paquette Chief Rhode Island State Parks 2321 Hartford Avenue Johnston, Rhode Island, Don’t hesitate to contact me:

NASPD Directors 2013 Leadership School See you in January!