I was excited to be selected to present for The Garden State Employment & Training Association (GSETA) at their 36th Annual Workforce Development Conference in Atlantic City on October 3 & 4, 2018. The GSETA Conference brought together national, state, and local stakeholders of the workforce system.
My session “Exceptional Service: Enhancing the Customer Experience” focused on instituting customer quality assurance practices and the potential reinvention that Workforce Development Board members and One Stop management staff may need to implement to attain the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) performance measures emphasizing “effectiveness servicing employers”.
I discussed the notion that this involves the combined efforts of introducing new business practices and building a customer-centric culture. I suggested that this is a new knowledge base to be acquired, which is now equally important, yet distinct from those capabilities when providing career planning and training services. Competence in business development, employer engagement and customer service are essential to maximize relationship outcomes when interacting with the business community. Performance measure implications for One Stop business practices include CRM, marketing, sales planning and targeting.
In addition to sharing new concepts and ideas, attendees had the opportunity to participate in exercises readily applicable back on the job for use with their staff to generate discussion and to introduce potential improvement actions. For example, an exercise based on the following Core Customer Service Beliefs began the dialogue on customer engagement and establishing standards:
- Achieving performance measures and building your organization’s brand reputation requires an organizational and team effort.
- Exceptional customer service is personal accountability, choice and ownership.
- Customer service is not just a department or a training program: it is a way of behaving and a core value for an organization.
- Meeting internal customer needs improves overall customer service.
- Co-worker relationships are equally important as communications and services with your stakeholder groups.
- Superior service and engagement are expected between co-workers, supervisors within departments, and among departments.
- The customer is your ultimate employer.
- Listen to your customers and cherish the complainers: they can provide you with valuable insights that you may not be aware of.
Aramini Management is a management and business consulting practice. Since 2005 we have assisted organizations in the corporate, educational and non-profit arenas execute management and operational improvements to attain their goals and better engage their customers and staff including experience with One Stop Career Center operations and community college workforce development and training grant programs for corporate clients.