C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Maintaining Good Customer Service and Meeting Compliance Retreat/Training Support Staff April 16, 2010

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Discussion Topics: Who are our clients? Roles and responsibilities – faculty and staff Obligations and challenges – faculty and staff How we all contribute Good customer service model How to serve better Compliance Difficult clients and circumstances Unusual requests

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Identifying people we serve Who are our clients? 1.Faculty 2.Administrators 3.Students

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Roles and Responsibilities Faculty –Teach –Advise and Mentor –Research / Publish –Service Academic (committees, governance, professional organizations, advisory councils) Community (local schools, local groups and organizations)

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Support staff –Assist department heads/directors with management responsibilities –Assist faculty with research or teaching needs –Ensure compliance is met to maintain a “risk” safe environment –Monitor and balance budgets –Alert department heads of potential problems –Purchase materials –Pay for goods and services –HR functions (payroll, hiring and other issues) –Meetings and training to stay up to date with changes –Other duties as assigned…..

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Obligations and Challenges

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Faculty teaching Advising/ mentoring research meetings publishing Collaborating with peers

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Support staff communicating & coordinating Problem solving managing budgets and grants meetings Helping otherssafeguarding

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION We all contribute…..

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Faculty contributions 1.Institution’s academic and research prestige 2.External funding (grants, F&A, scholarships and endowments) 3.Through research faculty generate greater administrative support (more jobs)

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Supporting staff contributions 1.Problem solving support 2.Manage day to day operation – keep things moving forward 3.Support faculty teaching activities 4.Support managing grants. Good support allows faculty to seek multiple sponsored research grants.

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Maintaining Good Customer Service and Meeting Compliance

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Good customer service model A good model makes the customer feel: welcomed we listen to their needs they are respected and appreciated their problems will be taken care of

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION How can we serve best? Resourceful – knowing where to go, who to call – builds trust Knowledgeable (policies and procedures) – builds trust Attentive and understanding to their needs – builds trust Committed to helping others achieve their goals – builds trust Keeping internal processes effective but simple Enjoying solving problems – empowers, sense of fulfillment Exercising good judgment when making decisions or advising – builds trust Building a relationship with faculty; get to know them and their projects – builds trust Listening attentively and asking questions – builds trust Visible and responsive – builds trust Reasonable and flexible – builds trust Providing solutions, not adding to the problem – builds trust

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Why compliance? Compliance policies help organizations: Adhere to laws, rules and regulations to prevent unacceptable or illegal practices, which in turn Prevent or punish transgressions, which in turn Ensure a safe risk environment Laws, regulations and guidelines are: very clear or common sense - embezzling funds, buying flowers from state funds, cost sharing from a federal grant to another federal grant interpretation/good judgment – supplies used in promoting recruitment from state funds Bottom Line: Ethics and compliance -> less risk -> good reputation -> profitable

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Myths and misconceptions: Being a good person is good enough. If my boss says something is ok, then it is ok I am going to approve this purchase because most likely it will not be caught in an audit. Training is not necessary. I can always find the regs or guidelines on the web. We have invested time training faculty and staff. It should last a few years.

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Balancing compliance responsibilities and faculty needs and demands A true balancing act ! Committed to help faculty achieve their goals without jeopardizing compliance Avoid thinking that faculty are trying to get away with something Avoid holding initiatives and programs from moving forward because we are over analyzing Understand what the person is asking for and the purpose Ask questions! Identify a true need versus a “would be nice to have” Examples of true need: Essential for classroom instruction delivery Benefits students learning Essential for data collection (may or may not be included in the proposal)

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Know your rules and regs Make a decision within a reasonable amount of time Document everything Keep back-up documentation and justifications with invoices for future audit trails When in doubt, contact BMCS Financials – Lili and Scott Human Resources – Natalie Contracts and Grants – Stephanie and Josh When having to say “It cannot be done” Provide a good explanation, preferably with support documentation Be firm but kind and understanding

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Resources: Rules and regs, policies and procedures, guidelines on the web Contacts: –Contracts and Grants –Controller’s Office –Budget Office –BMCS Transgressions: Get the facts correct. Do not assume. Report to Assistant Dean for Finance immediately.

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Dealing with unlike circumstances or unusual requests Get the facts – understand what is needed and why Do not assume anything – ask until satisfied Research the matter – what do the spending guidelines say? Do not ignore the matter – seek help If grant related, is it in the proposal’s budget? Consult with BMCS When something cannot be done, explain why and do so in a kind way. If it cannot be done, do not yield to pressure even if the pressure comes from your supervisor. Seek help !

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION Dealing with difficult clients or circumstances Listen attentively and respectfully Acknowledge the situation or problem No matter what, do not lose your “cool” Do not take it personally Provide a solution as soon as possible Follow up as soon as possible to ensure problem has been resolved Learn from the experience and implement changes if necessary to avoid repeating

C OLLEGE of E DUCATION You are not alone! BMCS will help. Josh Agner Lili Collazo Jeff Croteau Stephanie Jackson Natalie Worth Anne Reese