1. Earning Your Financial Aid Spirit Badge
Alisha Cederberg
Kalamazoo Valley Community College

2. What we will go over This is not new information
We will go over why customer service is important
We will think about how we view students
We will go over my Tools

3. Question
Is it more important to be nice to a student or to provide accurate information?

4. Money is scary Especially if you don’t have any
And you’re expected to have money
And you’ve never had money
And you don’t know how to talk about money

5. Money is scaring If you grew up and never had to worry about money
If you don’t understand why someone needs it now
If the people in your life who have always helped you, can’t now

6. What happens when you’re scared?
I get mad…angry…if I get frustrated, I might get angrier
I don’t like not knowing things
I certainly don’t like telling someone I don’t know what to do
I’m angry now – just having typed about this!!

7. So, who are we talking about?
The students who need our assistance most are most likely to be scared, angry, and mad.
If we know this and always remember why, it can be a joy to work with them (and also, still hard, very hard sometimes…)
The KEY is - COMPASSION

8. Compassion
Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to help the physical, mental, or emotional pains of another and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as having sensitivity, an emotional aspect to suffering, though when based on cerebral notions such as fairness, justice, and interdependence, it may be considered rational in nature and its application understood as an activity also based on sound judgment. Compassion is a feeling you get if you are a true human; the desire to help or, at the very least, see what you can do. 

9. Latin Root: Co-Suffering
Says it all I think…
Dalai Lama: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

10. Compassion Fatigue
Individuals with a higher capacity or responsibility to empathize with others may be at risk for "compassion fatigue" or stress, which is related to professionals and individuals who spend a significant amount of time responding to information related to suffering. 
Research suggests that practice of nonjudgmental compassion can prevent fatigue and burnout

11. Customer Service is what we are
We serve customers
And we have so many customers…
Administration
Faculty
Parents
The Feds
The State
Scholarship Providers
Our Bursar and Registrar friends
And those customers seem to fight sometimes

12. Why do we do any of it? The Student They need money for College
Conveniently, we get paid to help students find money for college.

13. We can help But, we probably can’t fix the whole problem
And that’s frustrating
It’s not our fault, but it is our information to share

14. It’s not the student’s fault
It’s not their fault we have these crazy rules
It’s not their fault it’s the 80th time today you’ve been asked that question
It keep us employed if they don’t read LOL

15. It’s also…so hard to keep it up
But, if we are always looking outward and not thinking of our situation, but they’re situation, moving forward (day in, day out) can be easier
Really try to understand them
Take a few interactions a day…pause…really think about them, even the mundane. Try to be the student. What could you do better?

16. That’s my philosophy…here’s my tools
Have lots of tools!

17. #1 Tool – Be present
Don’t interact if you’re not prepared to do your job
Find a way to haul you into that space
Even if it’s not your day, what minute by minute can you do to get you “present” for your student

18. Part of being present…
Listen
And Listen
And listen some more

19. Darn near all interactions…
…that end up in my office, are because my staff either couldn’t spare the time to listen (which, if recognized is FAIR and OK), or they just stopped listening
Nearly all wrong answers, wrong transfers, wrong anything is because listening stopped

20. IT’S SO HARD TO KEEP LISTENING
Your office needs a game plan for front line
Professional staff, you need to learn to listen until the end and listen again
That person on that other line, will not let you help them until you listen

21. Active listening Not always appropriate Tone is super important
But I swear, it works
Like a balloon
Anger must be addressed, and the best tool, is listening

22. NO M-S-U’ing Do not make up an answer
It may not come back a be your problem
But, oh yes, it is someone’s problem
And most of the time, it’s the student who lives with your MSU

23. The Easiest Tool is Knowledge
Know your answers
Practice
Question wrong answers from others (offline)
Follow-up to get an answer, provide it yourself
Search for new information

24. Acknowledge feelings
Agree that the student has a right to feel as they feel
It’s oaky that you probably would not have personally felt that way, but you don’t get to decide how someone else should or shouldn’t feel

25. Phone
Answer the phone with your College name, department, your name

26. Phone Speak softer after introduction
Especially if awards just went out, grades posted, SAP ran, R2T4’s…
Anticipate the worst

27. Phone
Be human
Verizon Example:

28. Phone Don’t overwhelm in information And don’t be afraid to follow-up
And don’t be tempted to do something else while “listening”
B/c then, it’s not listening

29. In person Eye contact Offer your name
Be you – but also know, part of you is getting paid to help that student
Use their name!
Try to organize yourself to direct all attention to them (front line, in appointments)
Be off the computer

30. Judgement Don’t judge – Phone goes off Parents do all the talking
Student “may” not academically be ready

31. Understand Common Sense
It’s a privilege
The student who needs our help most, is going to be the one who does all our stuff wrong.
We are partnering with them

32. Management Should
Provide written, reviewed answers for most questions so your information is concise and consistent as appropriate
Let you know how to move a student to them (not always b/c they’re angry, but maybe they’re time consuming)
Care, and listen to how you work with students, provide feedback, set expectations

33. Co-Workers Should Be mindful of another co-workers time
Offer coaching to each other vs “mother hen” syndrome
Not “dump” situation to others
Transitioning may be important

34. You Should Know your own boundaries
Develop relationships with internal customers
Have a plan if you’re “out of compassion or the day”
Try to understand one aspect of your office better, until you do, then learn more
Write down your answers, workshop them
Know your website
Know your office culture