The Business of Education
By Shawn Brown
Schools are like businesses that are designed to provide a service. Like other businesses that provide a service, education offers an intangible high-value product. Schools should provide students with a quality education in a safe and nurturing environment. To do so, there has to be a meaningful focus on the school’s vision, which will inform all business decisions that are made that contribute to the delivery of the fundamental services. Quality educational services translate to good customer service and excellent academic output. To be successful schools need to operate like a business that is focused on delivering excellent customer service.
How to Deliver Excellent Customer Service
Build Rapport with the Customer:
- Building positive relationships with parents and students helps to achieve the school’s mission and vision. Good relationships make both parents and students feel welcome at school.
Always Listen to the Customer:
- People want to be heard. Always listen to the customer. In many cases they just want their feelings acknowledged.
Show Empathy to the Customer:
- Empathizing with the client helps to create or strengthen the bond. When an educator can see things from the client's perspective, it allows them to bring more grace to any given situation.
Respond as Soon as Possible:
- The home-school connection is a huge part of a student’s success. Oftentimes administrators, teachers and support staff are not available to others during school hours, particularly if they are supervising students.
Be a Problem Solver:
- Customers will approach school leaders to address any issues that come up. They will address any member of the team that they feel is associated with the problem or anyone who they feel is associated with the problem or anyone who they feel can help them.
Know the Customer:
- Students, parents, and community members are repeat customers. Getting to know them is key to building positive relationships and working cohesively together to support the vision of the school.
Correct Your Mistakes:
- Everyone is Human. We all make mistakes. When this happens, acknowledge the mistake, and do what is necessary to correct it.
Go the Extra Mile:
- Go above and beyond to make the customer feel good about their experience at the school.
Get Feedback:
- To provide excellent service, schools can gather feedback to assess their efforts.
Think Long-Term:
- The reputation the school creates for itself based on high-quality customer service will have a lasting impact and effect for years to come.
Conclusion
Education is a business. In this context, providing excellent customer service boils down to making sure that the customer is pleased with the service being provided. Every aspect of a school’s operation ties directly or indirectly to the goal of providing a quality education to students.
“When the business of education is a priority, great schools are created .”
Shawn Brown
