Practical Customer Service Tips for K-12

Can you imagine visiting any merchant that didn’t have a customer service department? Department stores, grocery stores, online vendors and even the IRS are all trained to provide basic customer service. But, chances are you’ve had at least one bad experience with an impatient or frustrated clerk, cashier or manager who negatively influenced your opinion of the establishment. The result? You likely discontinued your relationship, stopped making purchases and told your friends about your experience - except maybe the IRS. 

But in K-12, not everyone has considered the relationship between district and families as a customer/provider one. The sad truth is that many K-12 administrators fail to consider customer service training until a widespread problem surfaces and the damage has been done. I suggest a shift in our perspective so that we consider customer service a standard practice rather than a luxury. 

Keep reading to find out why good customer service is essential for K-12 and how it impacts student outcomes and learn practical tips you can use today to begin building positive relationships with your community. 

What has changed in K-12?

Perhaps the more poignant question is “What hasn’t changed?” and “Why is customer service the answer to improving student outcomes and K-12 workplace satisfaction right now?”

Covid accelerated teachers’ and principals’ growing dissatisfaction with public service positions where low pay, staffing shortages and the demands of virtual learning contributed to exhaustion and burnout. In 2023, Research by the RAND Corporation found, “Teacher turnover increased four percentage points above pre-pandemic levels, reaching 10 percent nationally at the end of the 2021–2022 school year. Principal turnover increased too, reaching 16 percent nationally going into the 2022–2023 school year.” Where leaders are burning out, students suffer. 

At the same time, parents were becoming more aware of school choice options available to them and many opted to change districts, enroll in charter schools and private schools or attempt some form of homeschooling due to their dissatisfaction with traditional public schools nationwide. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools found in their 2021 Voting with Their Feet: A State-level Analysis of Public Charter School and District Public School Enrollment Trends found, “Across the 42 states in the analysis, charter schools gained nearly 240,000 students (a 7 percent increase from 2019- 20 to 2020-21), while other public schools, including district-run schools, lost more than 1.4 million students (a 3.3 percent loss from 2019-20 to 2020-21).” Dips in enrollment are bad news for public schools that depend on enrollment numbers for operational funding. 

But not all students who left their districts have moved on or will move on to equal education opportunities. The Intercultural Development Research Association  (IDRA) found that while Texas student attrition rates remained fairly steady, dropping from 20 percent pre-pandemic to 19 percent in 2022, still “Texas will not reach universal high school education for another almost two decades in 2039.” Students are failing to reach graduation at unacceptable rates. 

So, how can customer service make a difference in student attrition, staff turnover and parent satisfaction in the K-12 space?

We need customer service training that is practical, easy to implement and provides leaders with resources and action steps for prioritizing their self-care. 

Customer Service Curriculum Rooted in Self-Care

It’s important to note that student outcomes are of the utmost importance with any Customer Service strategy. But to prevent students from dropping out of school, IDRA suggests schools need to employ educators who are committed to each student’s success, to value students, to value parent involvement and partnership and to innovate and equip teachers to address challenges with appropriate tools and technology. 

In light of the above, my customer service training programs address the core of the problem by first supporting staff and equipping staff members with self-care resources. In 2023, when many districts are understaffed and still recovering from academic chaos caused by the pandemic, many staff members are showing up to work already exhausted, anxious and dealing with personal or financial struggles at home. If they aren’t able to get grounded and represent their district through positive interactions, the result could be devastating for student outcomes. Just a handful of poor interactions that break the trust of a parent or student could mean the difference between that student graduating or going on to reach their full potential. 

Staff members who attend my customer service trainings learn to maintain a professional appearance and demeanor during customer interactions. They receive resources that help them show up able to pour from a full cup because they have practiced self-care and have tools to respond to parents and students in a positive manner. With so much responsibility riding on your staff’s shoulders, it’s better to be proactive than to do damage control after the fact. 

Practical Customer Service Tips for a Memorable Experience

While your district may need a larger shift in the perception of customer service for K-12, you may be surprised to find that the most impactful customer service changes you can make to your front office are also incredibly practical and easy to implement. These changes contribute to a positive work environment and facilitate communication between front-office staff, teachers, leadership and parents.  And the data shows that positive relationships play a big role in supporting student retention and driving enrollment. 

Tip #1: Put a small mirror next to the phone. 

Appearance isn’t everything, but professionalism matters. Having a mirror next to the phone enables staff members to check their facial expressions, their overall appearance and attitude during interactions.  

Tip #2: Set the standard greeting on the phone. 

The greeting should include the name of your campus or department and the name of the person answering the call. At the end of the greeting, include a way for customers to contact you back for any questions or inquiries. Side note: Be sure to have a staff member record the greeting when they are cheerful and rested so that every phone interaction begins on a positive note. 

Tip #3: Set up a follow-up process for issues not resolved. 

Parents and community members often feel frustrated when their issues are not resolved in one phone call. To ensure customer satisfaction, it's important to have a follow-up process in place. This can involve scheduling follow-up calls, sending emails, or assigning a dedicated customer service representative to handle the issue. A parent who feels valued will have positive feedback to share with the community. 

Tip #4: Don't allow phone call transfers unless you know the person is available.

Dropped calls are a surefire way to frustrate parents and community members. If their call falls through the cracks, they may assume that their concerns are not important, and, therefore, their opinion isn’t valued by the leadership. How many times has this negative feedback showed up in your annual climate surveys? Not administering climate surveys? We should talk…

Tip #5: Express gratitude and appreciation from leadership.

An underappreciated team is a burnt-out team. If you want to support your staff and reduce turnover, recognize and reward them for going above and beyond. Do some investigating and find out how your team members like to be rewarded. Some might like breakfast tacos or mid-day coffee treats, or some prefer an offsite team lunch. Maybe a card or certificate will do the trick. 

Conclusion

The public education system will face very real challenges in the coming years, not the least of which is raising the bar to accommodate parent and community expectations. Staffing and funding are ongoing hardships in 2023. But, thankfully, you can implement programs that can help every district staff member maintain their departments so that we can continue to provide excellent student outcomes for every family.  

I want to help you prepare your staff to face the challenges of a post-covid education system with a customer service curriculum that’s practical, effective and rooted in self-care. We can restore your district’s reputation, secure funding with improved enrollment numbers and help students reach their full potential, together. 

Grab my freebie “Mastering the Art of Customer Service” or send me an email at veronica@veronicavsopher.com to talk about my in-person customer service training and leadership retreats.