Customer service in schools? Don't let data guide you.

Customer service is not a program. It is not an initiative. It is not the technology you use. It is not something you do.

And please, whatever you do, don't let data lead the way. For many years the number one question asked by guests at the Magic Kingdom, according to data, was, "What time does the 3 o'clock parade start?"

Imagine if Walt Disney World had spent an inordinate amount of time seeking ways to ensure the guests understood that the 3 o'clock parade began at 3 o'clock. It would not have minimized the question and Disney would have been dumbfounded because the data told them this was the problem. (See point 3 below for the answer)

Too many schools work from the outside-in. They launch initiatives to offset parent problems or an influx of calls. They purchase new technology in order to make it easier for parents to connect with the schools. And, they gather data that tells them how many parents are complaining about X, Y, or Z so they can then work to alleviate X, Y, or Z.

Over time the band-aid approach of initiatives fails and schools are left to wonder why. So, they move on to purchase new technology or reassess the data and the pattern begins again.

Where are they going wrong?

1. Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Psychologist, and TED speaker, says that "how you say something is more important than what you say."

Walt Disney World understands that customer service (guest experience) must be a culture -- not a program nor an initiative. And, technology must serve the guest experience culture and bring value to it. And, data? Well, data is used properly to help Walt Disney World identify pain points and delight opportunities. You see, customer service is not an effort to overcome a bad experience. It is also an opportunity to build experiences that continually delight the customer and build loyalty.

More importantly, Walt Disney World understands that how you say something carries more weight than what you say. But, when HOW and WHAT merge together seamlessly and both are done properly, delight is the result.

2. If schools truly want to serve their students then they must move beyond the idea of initiatives and programs. They must place technology and data where they belong. They must, I repeat, must move toward a culture of service that permeates the school.

My oldest son started his college experience in a class designed to assist new students with the college experience and, hopefully, lead to better retention of students. His professor, on the first day of class, spent much of the time sharing how much he cared about them and wanted them to succeed. "I am here for you this semester to make sure you have a great experience," is what he told them. One week later he was gone, replaced by a new professor who repeated the same content. Why? Because it was an initiative of the university and for those who led it, they had their script to follow but their heart was not in it.

Another professor of his that same semester went about her duties of teaching and guiding the students, answering their questions, encouraging them, and working to inspire them. When she would see my son on campus, she would walk over and ask him how he was doing and how his other classes were going. She didn't need to tell him how much she cared but when she said it, he knew she meant it. For her, it was not a program nor a script. It is who she is, not what she does.

Three years later when she sees him she still inquires about his well-being.

3. Back to the 3 o'clock parade. Disney understood that the real question being asked was somewhere below the surface. The data did not guide them, rather it assisted them because they kept it where it needed to stay -- in a support role. Once they uncovered the real question being asked, they then built it into their culture of how to answer it (how you say something). (If you want to know what they did, shoot me an email - houston@figment-consulting.com)

When a student says something improper in a school that has a customer-service culture, they understand the real issue might lie below the surface. And, they are trained to look for it, be open to it, and how to probe for it.

It has a completely different feel to it.

Start with these three tenets and you can begin to build a customer service culture in your school -- one that will last and one that will radically improve the relationships you desire with your students and parents.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Consulting a la carte

Are you struggling to attract new leads?

Are you wasting money on ineffective advertising?

Is your message not resonating with prospects?

Is your executive team not aligned with the core mission?

Is your marketing plan proving ineffective and inefficient, and your costs are rising?

Need help positioning your company or product effectively?

Do you simply need new ideas?

Want to know how to stand out from the competition?

Recently I have spent time on Google Hangout consulting with clients helping each one find a solution for each of the questions posed above. They didn't have the financing in place to hire a consultant full time, or they were in go-to-market mode and simply needed a one-time consultation to better align their plan with their values. So, they reached out to me and asked if we could consult with them on an hourly basis rather than full-time program.

It has proven successful for our clients over these past few months, and we are now rolling it out a little more formally as Consulting a la carte.

We work together over a Google Hangout to minimize any and all expenses, and spend the amount of time you determine you need to achieve your objective. You walk away with ideas, plans, and solutions you can measure to see the impact. You only return if you need us again. No strings attached.

Visit our web site at www.figment-consulting.com to see all of our services, and to learn more about our Google Hangout Consulting a la carte.

Or, go ahead and email me at houston@figment-consulting.com and we can arrange a time for you from the comforts of where you are.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Going the extra mile . . .

. . . is sometimes not far enough.

When it is not, are you willing to go the next mile beyond the extra one?

If not, you may find you never traveled the extra mile in the first place.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Building trust

Trust is not built around a conference table.

Trust is not given but earned.

Trust is built with each and every interaction you have with your teachers, your students, and your families.

In order to build trust, you must be worth trusting.

Actions must match words, and words must inspire trust.

It's a simple process, yet it is not easy -- but the value is beyond measure.

Don't ask "How do we build trust?"

Instead, ask "Are we trustworthy?"

houston@figment-consulting.com

Who is your competition?

For most virtual schools they first look to other virtual programs as their competition. Then, they look to traditional schools (charter, regular public). Finally, they may even look at other forms of education as their competition (blended, flipped, homeschool).

To become great though, a virtual school must expand their definition of competitor. They must go beyond the traditional ones and realize everyone is their competitors in some form or fashion.

Just prior to calling you, a family spent time with a Disney vacation representative planning out their long-awaited vacation to the Magic Kingdom. Then, they call you. If you think for a moment they don't compare the calls and the experience, then that is where you must begin.

You must begin to analyze each and every touch point (or times when you come into contact with a customer), broaden your understanding of competition, and then adapt and improve your overall customer experience based on your new understanding, not your old one.

What would your enrollment experience look like if you did this? Would it change? In what ways would you improve it?

houston@figment-consulting.com

What Paul from Magic Kingdom can teach virtual schools

One of our favorite characters to watch perform in the Magic Kingdom is Gaston, the villain from Beauty and the Beast. He's arrogant, braggadocios, and quite hysterical. When we are at the Magic Kingdom we make it a point to stop by and observe Gaston in action.

However, this time it was Paul who stole the show. Paul also works for Disney and by the look of his costume, he appeared to be a supervisor of some sort. I noticed him prior to Gaston's appearance giving direction to the photographers on hand for the family photos, as well as guiding other Cast Members in the nearby vicinity.

But, it was his performance with the guests that mattered most. He was busy, quite busy, and really had no time to waste and then the first guest approached him.

"Hi Paul, you had mentioned that Gaston would appear today at 3:15 and it is now 3:30. With this long line waiting to see him, I am afraid we are going to miss our Fast Pass at Pirates," said the young lady. The line had to be at least thirty people or more and her family was toward the back, so it could easily have taken twenty minutes or so for them to see Gaston once he arrived.

Paul's response not only recovered his mistake but also kept the magic alive for the lady's little girl standing next to her, and enhanced their experience.

"Oh my, you are right," Paul said. And then he bent down to talk to the little girl. "Gaston was in the three o'clock parade today so it probably delayed him. However, let me give your mom these passes. All you have to do is show it to the Pirate Cast Members and they will let you on any time for the Pirate ride. That way you can still catch Gaston here, and ride the Pirates ride. Is that okay?" he asked.

The little girl smiled from ear-to-ear which made the mom happy. She walked away thanking him several times. Paul smiled politely knowing he had kept the show going. For the family, it was a WOW moment.

Paul wasn't done. Right after the first family went back to their line another family approached him asking for directions to a restroom that had a companion room. Paul told the family to stay there and he would be right back.

Moments later he returned sharing with them that the restrooms they were closest to did not have a companion room, however the stalls were extra large. He then offered to walk them to the closest restroom with a companion room that was nearby if they would like. They too left Paul while thanking him for his assistance, sharing with him the large stalls would work fine. Again, another WOW moment from Paul.

Paul then turned to give directions to some of the Cast Members nearby as Gaston was now making his appearance. Clearly, Paul needed to exit soon in order to move to another area as he mentioned to a Cast Member standing next to him. Then, another little girl approached with her mom.

"Do you mind if we look at your pins?" the mom asked. Disney Pin Trading is a huge endeavor, and most Cast Members wear pins around their necks to encourage the trading of them. It is not uncommon for a guest to stop a Cast Member and ask them to see their pins, then trade one of them to add to their collection. Then, they move forward and repeat the process over and over and over.

Paul quickly smiled, bent down to the girl's level and proceeded to exchange in pin trading with her. She took her time examining each one and Paul politely engaged her in conversation about Magic Kingdom, her favorite characters, and her favorite pins. It was Paul who extended the conversation, not the girl or her mother. It was Paul that proactively looked for ways to take the pin trading exchange and turn it into a WOW moment.

The girl found a pin she wanted, traded it with Paul, and then thanked him. The mom, in turn, showed her gratitude to Paul, turned and walked away -- both had large smiles on their faces. Paul had done it again.

Paul rose, turned in my direction, and as he passed by said hello to me, and then said "have a magical day."

What he didn't realize is he just created that magic, not just for the three families he interacted with, but also for those of us nearby who watched it all unfold.

Paul understood his job may be supervisor, but his primary responsibility is creating magic for guests.

When those guests go home and talk about the "Disney experience" they will not be talking about a corporate entity. Instead, they will be thinking about Paul and the other Cast Members who create that magic each and every day in the park.

I have the privilege of working with and from the Disney parks over the next month, witnessing encounters like this from Paul. Sometimes one little spark is all you need to see things differently. And, when you see things differently you then have the potential to change what is into what can be.

In my Virtual School Manifesto: Nine Essential Ingredients I list out ways in which virtual schools can create a new model. With each one I lay out practical ways to see things differently: putting the teacher-student relationship at the center instead of the student; investing in teachers beyond academic professional development; craft a remarkable learning experience; build a retention culture, and more.

The common denominator with each ingredient is exactly what Paul epitomized yesterday at the Magic Kingdom: creating WOW experiences by understanding your role and your opportunity -- in other words, building customer service into the learning experience.

Your role is not your job. Paul's job was not what he demonstrated in a span of five minutes, that was his role and his opportunity. But, what he created in those five minutes will last far beyond his job.

Virtual school administrators, staff, and teachers each have a job. More importantly, each have a role to play in constructing a remarkable learning experience, and opportunities to create WOW moments. All we have to do is Be Like Paul.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Time for customer service in public schools

Recently a student in Texas was arrested for bringing a clock to school. And while I believe this latest incident shines a spotlight on where we are in today's world, and how fear seems to be driving us, my intent is not to focus on that larger issue for this.

My aim is to center in on the follow-up letter sent out by the district to the parents, and the spotlight it shines on the lack of customer service skills pervasive in public schools today. Transforming the letter from one of informing parents of what happened at school to recommending they use this opportunity to speak to their children about the Student Code of Conduct and specifically not bringing items to school that are prohibited shows poor judgment at best.

It also demonstrates the lack of customer service within our public schools today. The virtual schools I have the privilege of working with are helping transform the overall learning experience by building a customer-centered culture, adopting service standards, and treating students as the valued customers they are.

Imagine a public school that took the same initiative. Imagine a public school that focused not just on the academics but also on the experience of learning. Imagine a public school (leaders, teachers, and staff) that built a culture centered on providing a remarkable learning experience for its students and treated them as the valued customers they are.

It is an idea worth imagining. It is also one I am working to bring to reality.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Don't believe the lie

Unless it happens to be the truth. And therein lies the difficulty - - discerning what is true and what is not.

What is most disconcerting is how quickly we as consumers make that decision. We quickly form our opinion then look for facts that support it while we tend to ignore potential red flags. Most of the time we do this without realizing it.

So, is it marketers that distort the truth, exaggerate the truth, or do we simply forget to read the fine print, because it is too fine?

houston@figment-consulting.com

Students are customers too.

In my Virtual School Manifesto: Nine Essential Ingredients, I make the case for treating students and families as customers.

Recently a Pennsylvania paper asked me about this essential ingredient of mine as it related to Agora Cyber Charter School and their recent Facebook posts from parents stressing out over the start of the school year.

In a previous post I mentioned Agora had severed management ties with K12 last year and launched out on their own voyage. While I am not privy to any details related to the transition, I can tell that each one of the parents posting to their Facebook page of late are asking for the same thing: SERVICE.

In what ways would things be different if these parents each felt like VIP customers? How would the flow of information and communication be different if they were viewed as customers?

Virtual schools are schools of choice. Parents can choose to join, and they can just as easily choose to leave. Virtual schools must embrace the role of customer service and understand the experience is just as important to the learning as the academics.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Data analytics

The answers can be found in the data.

Just make sure you are asking the right questions.

And don't forget, each data point represents a person - - and sometimes they surprise you.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Customer service of a Lifetime

We recently became members of Lifetime Fitness here in our local area. I must say how impressed I have been with the customer service experience.

The place itself has a resort feel to it and has everything you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but what puts it over the top is the way they treat the customers.

Well done Lifetime.

houston@figment-consulting.com 

Customer service is an investment.

It is not an expense, as some would have you believe.

It is not marketing, though it does market you.

It is not a program, though programs are involved.

It is not a department, though it may need a department.

It is not a position, though positions may be involved.

It is a culture that has been invested in by the company (the people) on a daily basis, consistently over time.

#MicroMoments

Are we entering a world where instant is the new standard in engagement with customers?

Google is conducting a livestream event this Thursday, June 11, to discuss #MicroMoments and how brands can capitalize on this behavior. According to Google, we now live online and we engage with brands in micro moments and those moments add up to a relationship. Brands that understand this behavior and build to capture minds and hearts of consumers by being there the instant consumers need attention are the brands that will take the lead.

Many brands are currently just tapping into the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools that allow for relationship building based on behaviors on the web sites and within emails. And now, the trend appears to be leaning toward these #MicroMoments as Google so aptly describes them. What is a brand to do?

Brands that are already built around the customer have the advantage here. It will be difficult for brands that are not customer-centric to fully take advantage of these micro moments because they are not currently putting the customer first. That must be the first step or #MicroMoment efforts will fall flat.

On the other hand, those brands that are driven by the customer will be the ones to watch and see how they continue to build loyalty by utilizing these micro moments to further the bond between them and their customers. For them it is merely another way of enhancing the relationships they have already built.

#MicroMoments may be a new way to engage with consumers but building trust is still the goal. Brands who are already building this trust are better equipped to take advantage of this new battleground.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Bad customer service . . .

. . . doesn't really have to be bad, just not good enough.

. . . is not the opposite of great customer service.

. . . can simply be mediocre.

. . . is found more in the details than one would imagine.

. . . can be more about attitude than action.

. . . can overcome good intentions.

. . . can offset beautiful marketing.

. . . by one can intrude on good service from others.

. . . can easily invade the company culture and spread quickly.

. . . should not be accepted (not just by the customer, but by the company).

houston@figment-consulting.com

Stop aiming for the Moon

Aim for the moon. If you miss you will land among the stars.

Alpha Centauri A, our nearest neighbor, is 4.37 light years from Earth.

So, if you aim for the moon and miss, you will be light years away from the stars.

Instead, determine which star you want to aim for and go after it.

houston@figment-consulting.com

3 Free Ways to Improve Customer Service

1. Smile.

Don't just grin but smile.

2. Give the customer your full attention when you utter the words, "Can I help you?"

Stop writing. Stop putting paper away. Stop whatever it is you are doing that takes your attention away from the customer standing in front of you.

3. Convey excitement in your voice.

"Can I help you?" can take on so many different connotations depending upon how you say it. Say it with enthusiasm and you can set the tone for the customer interaction.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The customer is always right.

Unless they are wrong.

Then, the real question becomes, "How do you handle the fact that they are wrong, yet believe they are right?"

The answer to that question depends upon the horizon you have with your customers. Do you look at profitability as a requirement for each and every sale? Or, do you look at the long-term value of the customer spread out over months or years (multiple sales) as opposed to each transaction individually?

The answer also depends upon your customer-service mission. Are you customer-obsessed like Amazon, or are you more like Comcast where customers (even long-term good customers) tend to get in the way of efficiency and more profitability?

Take time to determine your customer horizon and your customer-service mission. Doing so will help you align your efforts with your message and be more authentic to those you wish to serve.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Turn flight delays into WOW opportunities

What could airlines learn from American Girl Dolls? American Girl dolls are extremely popular among young girls. They are educational, entertaining, and expensive. One problem, they are easy to break (and their hair messes up easily).

So, how did American Girl respond to this potential problem that could impact revenue negatively? They saw it as a potential to enhance the story of American Girl dolls, generate new revenue, and minimize returns. They set up an American Girl Doll Hospital. Now, little girls with broken dolls can send them in to the hospital where, for a fee, they can be restored to their former glory.

This was what I was thinking about as I stood in O'Hare at my gate and watched as my flight was delayed time and time again. Finally, after a 2-hour delay, we finally arrived home. And, as I reached out to the airline to share my experience with them, their best response was to simply apologize for the delay and the interruption. As I told them, it wasn't the delay (those things happen). It was the way in which the delay was handled -- no communication, no updates (except to let us know that we were delayed again), no information on the screen, and no explanations.

As you can imagine, it was not the most pleasant experience for the 100+ passengers on this flight, though most handled it with patience.

And that is when I began to think about American Girl and their hospital. Imagine the airline that considered the inevitable delays in flights to be opportunities to WOW their customers, instead of merely and meekly apologizing.

What could it look like?

1. For each hour the flight is delayed (up to a maximum of three hours), randomly draw a passenger's name and give them a round-trip airfare to be used within the next six months. Then, when the flight does take off, have one of the flight attendants randomly select one additional passenger for a round-trip airfare to be used within the next six months.

2. If First Class has seats available, randomly select passengers to fill the seats at no cost if the delay is an hour in length or more.

3. Set up a scale system that allows the mechanic (or whoever is making the decision) to rate the probability of the flight taking off within an hour of its original departure, two hours, or more.

4. For every thirty minutes of delay, randomly draw a passenger's name and give them a discount card to one of the airport restaurants, coffee shops, or other stores -- even a 10% discount will do.

5. If the flight delay goes over three hours, provide each passenger a $99 companion ticket they can use within the next six months or year.

6. Provide each passenger a voucher for entry into one of the airline clubs that they can use within the next six months when flying again.

7. At a minimum, ensure the gate agent smiles, and says more than "I'm just the messenger." Then, make sure the flight attendants go overboard on the service knowing what the passengers have been through. Even doing just this would have been far better than what I and my fellow passengers experienced Thursday in Chicago.

Is there an airline out there that cares enough about their passengers to try even one of these? Or, do they believe apologies are enough? Seeing it differently could allow the delays to become WOW opportunities.

For me, I am flying a different airline next time, and I am avoiding Chicago altogether.

houston@figment-consulting.com

If the norm is successful, then follow the norm.

Recently I spent time with a group in the blended learning space who understand that following the norm will produce normal results. They realize too this goes much deeper than a competitive analysis in order to find a niche to fit in or a space to occupy.

No, this is taking a step back and perusing the entire landscape in order to understand the norm and then determine if it is worth being followed. Apple, Disney, Google, and others did not achieve their success by following the norm. They understood that the norm allowed them an opportunity to reach higher levels of success by going against it, blowing past it, or doing something entirely different altogether.

In your line of business what is the norm? Is it successful and worth following? Or, does the norm present you the opportunity you need to lead in a new direction?

Instead of starting with the question - "How can we differentiate ourselves from our competitors?" - broaden the question and start with "What is the norm in our industry and is it worth following?"

When you do, breakthroughs can occur.

houston@figment-consulting.com

I don't know.

Three simple words, and yet so difficult for many of us to say.

It took years for me to master these words, and there are times where the small voice inside me continues to provide me with doubt as to whether or not they should be said again. But, I also understand the power that comes with being able to say, "I don't know."

Saying it doesn't mean you can't learn it.

Saying it doesn't mean you can't find the answer (see google.com for that).

In fact, saying it frees you up to grow, to further your knowledge and expertise, and to become even better at what you do.

You may want to give it a try.

houston@figment-consulting.com