Teaching Customer Service in a Healthcare Curriculum

Terry Whitson, TW TrainingCedar Rapids, Iowa

Things to ponder:O Understand service vs. satisfaction

O Identify measurement standards for internal and external customer satisfaction

O Understand how the four generations can assist teams to be more effective with clients, families, patients, and each other

O Identify characteristics of each generation and what teams should keep in mind

What makes a team work?

O 1. Understanding your role as a contributing member

O 2. Understanding the expectations and goals

O 3. Displaying a positive attitudeO 4. Having common access to resourcesO 5. Working in a climate of trustO 6. Believing you can make a differenceO 7. Supporting decisions that are madeO 8. Exhibiting a win/win approach to

conflictsO 9. Exhibiting effective communication

skillsO 10. Having a commitment to customer

satisfaction (internal and external)

Service vs. Satisfaction?

O Service is going through the motions

O Satisfaction is the WOW factor or giving more then expected

Why is providing customer satisfaction such a struggle?

O Please discuss the common barriers to providing excellent customer service and creating customer satisfaction.

Everyone benefits from superior service and satisfaction!

Customer StrategiesO How does a

customer’s expectations affect the perception of the service received?

O Expectations

O Perception

O Reality

Moment of TruthO Occurs whenever

and wherever there’s customer contact

O It’s the moment when the customer forms a perception of the organization and you

Who is your customer?O The most important person…

internally or externally…in person, on the phone, by e-mail or mail

What does your customer want from you?

OTo listen

OAnswer a question

OSolve a problem

MeasurementOWhat is your customer service

standards?

OHow do you measure them?

OWhat are the consequences to you and your organization of not meeting those standards?

Which statements reflect how you feel?

O The customer is always right

O The customer always has the right to be treated right

O Treat others as you would want to be treated

O Treat others as they want to be treated

What is a service culture?

O Members of a team share the philosophy that fulfilling the needs of both external and internal customers is of prime importance

O Building positive relationships

How do you build a service culture?

O 1. Recognize

quality service

O 2. Assess your own service delivery

O 3. Assess systems, policies, and

procedures

O 4. Develop a

service philosophy

Service culture indicators:

O People smile O People are friendly and courteous to each

otherO People take responsibilityO People are responsiveO People ask if they can helpO People look for ways to improveO People feel empowered to actO People break down communication barriers

Good Intentions vs. Outstanding Service

O Good intentions are not enough-customers can only see and hear our behavior.

O Everything you do and say, with every single customer, must be geared toward demonstrating the importance you and the organization places on outstanding customer service.

In order to build a service culture, two things need to

work hand in hand:

OSystems,processes,procedures

OPeople

Service promiseO There must be a connection between

what you promise and what you deliver.

O A gap between the two can lead to customer service problems.

Customer ScenariosO 1. Family is upset because of a

delay in treatment.

O 2. Family is dissatisfied with the way they were treated.

O 3. You feel your team member isn’t giving the best care because they are disgruntled about a new policy.

Customer Satisfaction Challenge

OHow can you increase your value to your customers?

OWhat does a “delighter” look like?

Generational ChallengeOEach generation uses different

languages

OE.g. When I say “effective communication methods”…what does that mean to you?

Generational ChallengeO“Communication methods”

could mean formal writing and speaking to an older generation

OMight mean e-mail, texting, face book or instant messaging to the younger generation

Your styleOWhat is your preferred

communication style at work?

OHow do you like to give and receive feedback?

O If you could choose how your team interacts with each other, what communication methods would you suggest?

What are the generations?O Traditionalists Up through 1945O Baby Boomer 1946-1964 76 millionO Gen X 1965-1982 45 millionO Millennial (Gen Y) 1982-present 80

million

Generational Differences Relate To Shaping Influences:

O Social, political &economic

O Education levelO Familial structureO Communication stylesO Role of work in lifeO Technology

Things to consider:OCommunicationOWork ethic and valuesOInteraction with team members

OFeedback and rewardsOMotivation

Influencing yearsOTraditionalists 1930- 1950’s

OBaby Boomers 1950’s-1970’s

OGen X 1970’s-1990’s

OMillennial 1990’s- 2000’s

Why is this important?OResearch indicates that people

communicate based on their generational backgrounds

ODistinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits, and motivations are influenced by familial and cultural experiences of childhood-defines your generations values

Traditionalists

Defining Events: Traditionalist

O The Great DepressionO F. Roosevelt Presidency (New Deal) O Pearl HarborO World IIO Atomic Bomb: Hiroshima/NagasakiO Cold WarO TelevisionO Big Band era

Workplace for a Traditionalist

O Created the organizations we know today.

O Influenced by the military and created a workplace reflecting a hierarchy with a clear chain of command.

O Employees worked hard to receive raises, bonuses and higher ranks. Higher rank (with the higher salary) was valued and envied by employees on their way up and held in high esteem by those at the top.

Characteristics of the Traditionalist In the WorkplaceValues

O Hard workO Consistency, uniformityO DisciplineO Individual contributionsO OrganizationO HierarchyO TraditionO LogicO FamilyO Direct communication

O DedicationO ConformityO Law and orderO PatienceO Delayed

rewardO Duty before

PleasureO Adherence to

rulesO HonorO Respect for

authority

Characteristics of a Traditionalist

O Traditional family structure (marry once)

O One or two jobs in a lifetimeO Believe in earned respect through

tenureO Expected education level: High

SchoolO Not as comfortable with

technologyO Frugal/pragmatic: “Spendthrifts”O Need to feel RESPECTEDO Success because… I’ve worked

hard and put in the time

Baby Boomers

Baby BoomerO Civil Rights O Birth control pill introduced O John F. Kennedy elected president O Cuban Missile Crisis O John Glenn circles earth O MLK March on WashingtonO JFK, MLK, RFK assassinationsO Combat troops sent to Vietnam O Moon landing/ Woodstock O Vietnam War Protests/Kent State shootings O Rock and Roll

Characteristics of Boomers

O Need Recognition for achievementsO Posted degrees and certificates on office wallsO Use of designation of earned credentials on

business cardsO Titles

O Value those who work long/traditional (9-5+) hours

O Lots of meetings O Involvement/Consensual Leadership

O Define themselves by what they doO Keeping up with the “Joneses”-deviate from

parents frugality “You are what you have”O Need to feel valued and NEEDED

Baby BoomerO Role of career

O Central focusO Possibly six career positionsO Value long hours and late nights

O View of authorityO Challenge leadersO Work to get to the next level

O View of technologyO Master it

O Success because…Driven, “change the world”

GENERTATION X

Gen XO Watergate ScandalO Energy Crisis beginsO Tandy and Apple Market PCsO US Corporations begin Massive LayoffsO Iran Hostage CrisisO John Lennon shot and killedO Ronald Reagan inauguratedO Challenger DisasterO Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker SpillO HIVO Three-Mile Island O Fall of the Berlin WallO Operation Desert Storm O Rodney King beating, LA riots O Punk Rock, Rap, and Grunge

Environment of Gen-XO Divorce reached an all-time highO Single-parent families became the normO Latch-key kids were a major issue of the timeO Children not as valued – looked at as a hardshipO Families spread out (miles apart)O Family size = 1.7 children (many only-children)O Average 10 year old spent 14 ½ minutes a day

with a significant adult role modelO Turmoil during this generation led to a perception

of the world as “unsafe”

As a ResultOLack of trust in the “system”O Inquisitive—need to know

“why”ODefine themselves by personal

interests-not what they do for a living

OWork to live, not live to work

Characteristics of Gen-XO This is the conscientious, extremely

pragmatic, self-sufficient generation that has a ruthless focus on the bottom-line.

O Born and raised at a time when children were at the bottom of our social priorities. Gen Xers learned that they could only count on one thing - themselves. As a result, they are very "me" oriented.

O Not competitive with others- believe everyone should be treated the same

Characteristics of the Gen XO Values

O DiversityO Self-relianceO Question

authorityO Thinking globallyO BalanceO Techno-literacy

O FunO InformalityO PragmatismO FamilyO Entrepreneurial

spiritO Feedback

Gen XO Expected Education: College/Some Graduate SchoolO Role of career

O 12 different careersO What I do, not who I am

O View of authorityO Team members important, don’t necessarily try to become the leader

O View of technologyO Savvy-grew up with computers and video games

O Success because…Adaptable

Millenials

Millennial (Gen-Y, Echo Boomers)

O Oklahoma City BombingO Clinton/Lewinsky scandalO Columbine High School shootingsO Dot.com rise & fallO Institutionalization of Internet/Web/Cell O Phone TechnologiesO Gore/Bush Presidential CampaignO 9/11 (threat of additional terrorism)O Iraq WarO Bush/Kerry Presidential CampaignO Helicopter parents

Characteristics of Millennial’s

O This generation is civic-minded, much like the Traditionalist generation.

O They are collectively optimistic, long-term planners, high achievers with lower rates of violent crime, teen pregnancy, smoking and alcohol use than ever before.

O This generation believes that they have the potential to be great and they probably do. We are looking to them to provide us with definitions of the future.

Characteristics of the Millennial

O Helicopter Parent (n) A parent who hovers over his or her children

O Or Snowplow parent: Parents who clear the way for their children

O As a result high expectations for instant success “I’ll have your job in 18 months”

O Generation of participation ribbons—need frequent affirmation and praise

MillennialO Expected education

O Life long learning but no rush to start or finish college

O EntertainmentO TV-100 plus channels, surfing the net,

anything technology relatedO Like to work in teams (generation

of after school activities) O Family

O Loose family structureO Single parent

Characteristics of the Millennial

O Want instant on-line access to information and other peopleO Don’t wait for leaders to tell them, they’ll search it outO Like to make decisions by consensusO Value relationships, but don’t have to be face-to-faceO Often don’t answer e-mails in a timely manner-respond quicker to text, IM, or their social media network

Characteristics of the Millennial

O Want regular informal communication with managers-open environments and praise

O Want to understand the why of business decisions that are made

O Want control over how they work and flexibility of time

O Encourage active engagement of all O Look to peers for information; advice

from Baby Boomers

MillennialO Role of career

O Careers are learning opportunities: The more, the different, the better.O Use to “multi-tasking” from involvement in several different activities—need constant stimulation.O Tend to “hop” laterally from positions and industries-avg. 20 different careers.

O View of authorityO Respects it, but not awed by itO Defer to a team or self

O View of technologyO Employ it

O Success because…Tenacity

Generational ChallengesOUnderlying personality traits attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits, influencers, and characteristics of each generation can cause tension in the workplace

What is going on?OGeneration X is shouting an

answer to a question across the room to a Generation X team member.

OThe Traditionalist shakes his head and is thinking…what? How would the Traditionalist like to see this handled?

What is going on?O A Millennial who has been on the job

for three months offers some suggestions in a team meeting about ways the department can improve. The purpose of the meeting is for all team members to bring ideas for solving a problem the team is facing with a client.

O Will the Baby Boomer manager be open to these suggestions during the meeting? Why or why not?

What is going on?O A Gen X is receiving several text

messages from their Millennial team member while in a face-to-face meeting with a Baby Boomer client.

O What will the Baby Boomer think of this?

O What will the Gen X think of the texting from their Millennial team member?

What is going on?O A Gen X team member isn’t reacting

well when hearing that because of large work demands everyone will have to work a lot of overtime this weekend. This is a surprise to the whole team and it seems they will have very little control over their schedule.

O How will the Baby Boomer manager view their reaction? What is the Gen X team member thinking?

What is going on?O A Millennial says to their

Traditionalist patient they have to “cruise their chart” before answering their request for …

O How will the Traditionalist react to this terminology?

How Can WeWork Together

How Can We Work Together?

O If we understand the differences of the generations we can build more effective teams

O Provide the appropriate recognitionO Give a Gen X’er time offO Delegate additional tasks to a

MillenialO Give an award to a BoomerO Give individual praise and recognition

to a Traditionalist

Use Their StrengthsO Traditionalists

O Create order and structureO A wealth of information but make

sure to ask for their inputO Loyal and hardworking—oversee

long-term projectsO Know the business

Use Their StrengthsO Baby Boomers

O Very driven and committed to successO Will work faithfully to get the job doneO Wonderful at delegation, feedback

and follow up. Wonderful informal leaders and at managing projects.

O Effective communicators—they will get the message out

O See a project through to the end

Use Their StrengthsO Gen X

O Analytical problem solversO Look for ways to be more efficient— find

better and easier ways to get the job done

O Tend to stay rational and deal well with conflict, voice of reason on the team

O Need little direction; can work well on independent projects

O Think globally; always have the bigger picture in mind

O Intellectuals

Use Their StrengthsO Millenials

O Innovative and creative; forward thinking-fresh ideas

O Work well on teams and are motivated by additional tasks

O Research shows grandparents are more adept to learn new technologies when taught by their grandkids—use that to your advantage

O Respond well to and even require change O Accustomed to multi-tasking can handle

several simultaneous small projects.O Are very tech savvy and quick to learn new

systems and technologiesO Excitement can be contagious

Pitfalls to avoidOEvery team member is more than

the sum of his or her “age related” parts

OThose born on the “cusp” may have a blended set of characteristics

ONot intended to be 100 percent accurate for everyone

What binds your generations together?O People’s ability to adapt to their

environment

O Working with people who have different styles

O During challenging times, more of a need for people to work together-creative thinking from all perspectives

O In bridging the gaps, focus on similarities

What binds your generations together?O Understand each generations core

values

O Discuss communication expectations with your team

O Create diverse channels of communication all can agree on

And Realize by 2020 the Next Generation will be Entering the Workforce

What makes a team work?

O 1. Understanding your role as a contributing member

O 2. Understanding the expectations and goals

O 3. Displaying a positive attitudeO 4. Having common access to resourcesO 5. Working in a climate of trustO 6. Believing you can make a differenceO 7. Supporting decisions that are madeO 8. Exhibiting a win/win approach to

conflictsO 9. Exhibiting effective communication

skillsO 10. Having a commitment to customer

satisfaction (internal and external)