Service Excellence

Well-trained employees are the key to a successful Service Excellence program. Learning modules are designed to A&F employees with the “why” and “how” of delivering quality service value that will bring about the best customer satisfaction and solution. Our end goal is to build the competence of A&F staff in service delivery behaviors that are consistent with customer needs and expectations.

There are a series of eight on-demand learning modules that will include direct application to internal and external customer service interactions:

Module 1: Service Excellence Introduction

Module 2: Attitude Is Everything

Module 3: It’s All About Communication

Module 4: Active Listening

Module 5: Problem Solving for Results

Module 6: Whose Job Is It Anyway?

Module 7: Process Improvement

Module 8: Utilizing Our Guiding Principles to Support Customer Service

 

Each cohort completes activities in four phases. The first three phases are completed within the first six months.

Phase 1:

Orientations:

• All employees in the cohort attend a virtual orientation with the Project Administrator and Dr. Dawn Rhodes to learn about the history, goals, expectations, and timeline of the initiative.
• Managers attend an in-person training after the initial all-staff orientation. Designed for any A&F manager who supervises at least one employee or is a manager, this training will share transfer-of-learning and coaching principles and strategies so that managers can help employees apply new knowledge and skills on the job.
• All employees in the cohort will take a self-assessment survey based on the five service dimensions.
• Unit leaders will identify key stakeholders who utilize their services. The stakeholder survey is similar to the self-assessment survey and based on the five service dimensions.  The Project Administrator will distribute stakeholder surveys, monitor completion, compile and analyze the results, and share with unit leaders and employees. Areas of strengths and opportunities for growth will be identified. 

 

Phase 2:

eLearning modules:

• All employees and managers will be assigned and complete eight (8) modules in the Percipio Learning Management System (LMS). Each module is roughly 15-20 minutes in length and focuses on the five Service Excellence dimensions and associated behaviors of customer service.

Coaching:

• This can include any post-module debrief opportunities for managers and/or employees and any interventions to help sustain and apply knowledge gained from training. It can also include coaching to assist managers and employees with action planning.

Action Planning:

• Project Administrator will work with unit leaders and others on the team to create and support the development of the action plan. The action plan will be based on survey results, service excellence skills training, and manager and employee input.

 

Phase 3:

Support and Implementation

• Managers will discuss action plan activities with employees at unit and 1:1 meetings and will work toward overall competition of action plan items.
• Project Administrator will assist managers and employees with implementation, providing ongoing support and troubleshooting any difficulties. This could also include refresher training focused on a specific area identified, small group or 1:1 coaching.
• Project Administrator will provide regular updates to A&F leaders and develop annual report of updates and accomplishments.

 

Phase 4:

Follow-Up/Program Sustainability

• 12-18 months later, both surveys will again be administered to measure the sustainability of the program’s effectiveness. Discuss progress with unit leaders and managers and provide updates to senior leaders.

Please view all action plans for different departments on the Action Plans page.

Project Administrator: Elisa Medina, LCSW-C, ACC
Project email: AFServiceExcellence@umaryland.edu

• Cohort Schedule