A friend of mine complained that employees in a large urban hospital were yelling personal conversations and dancing all around the public cafeteria, and mostly ignoring the paying customers.

Somehow we need to convey to the next generation that this is not acceptable behavior for customer service pesonnel.

As a teacher I find it upsetting that the leadership exists in schools, as you note “many” schools, allows and presumably models this behavior. Aside from this personal dissatisfaction, I wonder what incentive exists for these poorly run schools to correct this mentality. The reality is that schools are protected from the fear of losing students. Many urban areas continue to grow and attract new students, so why worry about customer service. Schools that lose students have no fear they will be closed, so why change. Only after years of corruption and failure does the state step in, see Wilmer-Hutchins ISD in Texas. However even with corruptions and failed leadership so schools still continue to spin backwards, see Dallas ISD.

While the leadership of the school should feel compelled to change the attitude and climate of the customer service, it is the responsibility of the customer to demand more. The ultimate leadership of the school is the State, which prevents growth in schools by limiting our ability as customers to not return. It is a bit unsettling that we have more choice in fast food than we do in primary and high school education.

I still remember while working at a grocery store during college, being trained not to carry on personal conversations in front of the customers. So First Impressions is a perfect title for the article.

I work in a state Department of Education, and we try to provide excellent customer service. I try to treat each call, email, etc. with the same type of service I’d want to receive if the roles were reversed. It’s unfortunate though that it’s found in so many different aspects of society!

I’m not sure I agree with Kyle and John. I don’t really see it being related so much to lack of competition. As Scott points out, this exists across many organizations, including ones where folks have more choices. And, in my state (Colorado), parents do have a fair amount of choices – they can enroll in any public school in the state that has room. Yet I’m sure you’ll find the same types of things in our schools.

I think it’s more a cultural/societal and individual personality thing, and it’s not just young people. The exact two signs that Scott mentioned were in my former bookkeeper’s office (she’s now moved to our central admin building) – and she’s over 50. I never really took offense at the signs, choosing to see the humor in them, but I can see how they can make a bad impression.

Overall, I think the folks in my building are pretty good at customer service, and I think that comes back to the people themselves and the leadership of the building. I also think it comes back to what folks are willing to put up with. So, Scott, I have to ask, when you’ve seen these things have you approached the school administrators and initiated a conversation?

But I think we may be part of the problem – I keep telling myself that if I don’t say something, who will? And surely I can say it in a reasonable enough manner not to offend, but just to engage? I’d like to get to the place where I’m comfortable doing that more often.

We’ve been having a somewhat similar discussion in my staff development regarding poor student work, with my mantra being, “Don’t take crap!” If we complain about the quality of the work, but still accept it to give them some amount of “points,” then we’re part of the problem. If we kindly and patiently keep telling students that they can do better than this, that we’ll help them do better, and we’ll look forward to seeing the improved work, they’ll stop handing in crap (at least not as often). I wonder if the same is true about customer service . . .