Hidden Key to District Success: The Power of Customer Service

If you’ve been on the other end of a customer service phone call, you know how important it is to feel like more than just another number or ticket. Everyone wants to know their concerns are being heard and handled.

While we all have experienced customer service — both good and bad — it’s something that hasn’t been top of mind for many school districts until now.

Customer service for K-12 education is defined as:

An intentional, data-driven approach to two-way communications that gives customers the ability to ask questions and share feedback while having the confidence their question, concern, or comment is getting to the right person in the right department

To say it another way: Customer service is making sure everyone feels cared for. 

That’s why K-12 school and district administrators across the nation are adopting a customer service mindset. They are committing time and energy to ensure every member of their community has the best possible experience.  

Delivering superior customer districtwide also:

• Builds trust capital
• Improves family and community engagement
• Generates public support for key initiatives
• Reduces student and staff attrition 
• Promotes positive board-administrator relationships
• Fosters a positive school environment

Deliver superior customer service with every interaction 

Think about the last time you spoke to a customer service representative.

You may have felt relief when they acknowledged your concerns and thoughtfully answered questions. Or, you may have experienced intense frustration as you explained your issue for the fifth time before being transferred to yet another person.

Parents and families have grown to expect high-quality customer service. In fact, over 60% of parents say there is room for improvement with the helpfulness, timeliness, and courteousness in school district communications. 

As other industries solidify customer experience as a pillar of business success, there’s an enormous opportunity for school districts to implement a customer service strategy — especially when losing just five students can cause a budget shortage equivalent to one full-time teacher’s salary. 

So, where do you start? 

With so much misinformation and distrust in today’s education environment, it’s never been more important to take the first steps in implementing these changes. 

It’s time to take customer service from a bullet point on your strategic plan to a core value in your district. 

Superior customer service is key to increasing parent satisfaction and keeping families enrolled. Check out our latest guide, Why Customer Service for Schools Matters, to dive deep into customer service to learn:

• What customer service is in K-12 and why it matters
• Four questions you need to ask about your district’s customer service
• How to adopt a culture of customer service in your schools

You also can register for a free workshop below to discover how you can develop a culture of customer service in your school district that will help you avoid costly student attrition, create time-saving processes, build trust, and strengthen relationships districtwide.