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Harding University Scholar Works at Harding The Bison Archives and Special Collections 3-27-1992 The Bison, March 27, 1992 Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.harding.edu/thebison Recommended Citation The Bison, March 27, 1992. (1992). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.harding.edu/thebison/1441 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Archives and Special Collections at Scholar Works at Harding. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Bison by an authorized administrator of Scholar Works at Harding. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Women's tennis the • p. 6 Outdoor March 27, 1992 track J Vol. 67, No. 15 p. 6 - lSOll Final four picks, p. 6 Harding University Searcy, Arkansas Consultant stresses customer service the Nation by David Hickman Governor Jerry Brown surprised Bison staff writer everyone by defeating Governor Bill Customer Service - These two words have gotten much lip service in recent years, Clinton in this week's Connecticut but how do business managers really put primary. Brown's victory stalled the them into action? momentum gained by Senator Paul Author and consultant Barbara Sanfilip­ Tsongas' early departure from the po addressed this question Tuesday night at Democratic race. Both Brown and the Annual Management Seminar, a con­ Clinton will now head to New York tinuation of the American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series. Sanfilippo, on lor the crucial April 7 primary. campus for the fourth time, has been (See editorial- page 2) designated a Certified Speaking Profes­ sional by the National Speakers Association New York Governor Mario Cuomo (NSA). Her personal philosophy is "Always dismissed the electability issue that expect the best and you'll be sure to get it!" has hovered around Bill Clinton by Hundreds of students and many faculty saying, "Nobody knows electable. members attended the lecture in the Benson Auditorium. Arkansas E~tman, a division Anybody's electable who's decent, of Eastman Kodak, Land '0 Frost, First intelligent and isn't carrying a dead Security Bank and IBM were just a few of body in a sack on his shoulder." the businesses in attendance. Sanfilippo's talk, "Outclass Your Competi­ Geol"ge Bush easily carried the tion with Five-Star Service," outlined a com- ,prehensive 1o-step action plan for businesses Connecticut primary for the that want to provide first-class service. She Republican party winning by a near­ pointed out the need for better customer ser­ ly 3-1 margin. vice by using a familiar story, "How many time8 have you been in a store and asked the clerk a question, only to be told, 'I don't know; that's not my department' or 'I don't ~ Stat~e------:- know. I just work here?'" George Locke issued a statement ' 'The .first step iS getting management to that he didn't inform the FBI that focus on service quality, to make service a Gov. Clinton helped a supporter ob­ nrioricy," she said. This focus included find· ,_ - - tain bond business. The release of ing out how employees currently view the. FIVE-STAR SERVICE. Author and management consultant Barbara Sanfilippo four other statements besides company's level ofservice. It also entails stresses customer satisfaction in her book and during her American Studies creating service excellent committees and Management Seminar Tuesday night. (photo by David Hickman) Locke's was in an attempt to defuse service iniprovement teams to concentrate the latest round of controversy of im­ on customer service. Sanfilippo noted that employees the authority they need to be lacking in business. ''I think accountability propriety about the governor's use many of the strategic plans shown her dur­ responsive to cust1lmer needs. Sanfilippo is killing American business today, because of his office. Betsey Wright held a ing consultations do not even mention gave an excellent personal example of the it is not there." news conference to explain her con­ customer satisfaction. "We need more atten­ importance of empowerment. She explained Step eight is the development of a spiracy theory, "Cliriton is being tion on the customer,'' she said. bow she had simply asked a store clerk customer retention program. This consists (unaccurately) portrayed as some 'l'he second step consisted of management if she could keep the twQ hangers with the of communicating appreciation to the sharing this new customer service vision pants she was buying. The blustered clerk customers. kind of sex, drug and money­ with employees; explaining the " bjg pic­ held up the long line several embarrassing " You are only as good as the people you laundering fiend." ture" and now they fit in. "This vision is the moments while waiUng for the manager, hl.£~" Sanfilippo said when i.l_ltroducing step key to success in business and in life," she who cheerfully granted ller request. "The rune._A good employee selection process will theDtmls said. At this point, management should also clerk could have easily been empowered to help msure ~t a company invests in quality draft a mission statement1 which clearly make that simple. decision " she said people. Sanfilippo satd that new employee .1. states fhemain objective(s) of the organiz:a­ "Employees should be em~red to make orientation is important for communicating tion. "It is important to realize that all Thnight and Sunday evening the tnese types of small decisi~os." Sanfilippo did ~e . ~on and valu~ o[ a company. employees share in serving tbe customer," note that empowerment IS somewhaL time- Orientation sets the tone m a large or small students from the "Seminar in she said. consuming since it takes eight months to a business," she said Eastern European Missions'' class The third step is to focus on internal ser­ year to implement. · In step 10, Sinfilippo says that a company will be going to the dorms to collect vice, "This involves all employees, not just Setting standards and providing training should make_ a commibnent to.~ employee- money to send to the former Soviet those on the front-line; everyone bas a were the fifth step. '~professional telephone focused. 1'hi:> foe~ can positively affect Union. Money contributed will be go­ customer,'' Sanfilippo said. She suggests standard makes a definite impact and is ~mployee attitude. H~ the e~ployees_ feel ing toward buying both spiritual and each department should survey its very important,'' Sanfilippo said. She cited lS how. ~e customer will feel,. sh~, sa1d. customers to measure exiSting expectations American Airlines MCI and AT&T (Thank Sanfilippo concluded by saymg, We are physical food. Checks can be made and perception of them. Each department you for using AT&T) as real world examples. really here to serve _others.'' . to Church of Christ-Russian Relief then developS internal service standards, _ _ Bob Reely, Arnencan Studies director, and sent to the College Church, Box which can then be measured by another After the standards have ~n set, service praised Sanfilippo for her preparation. 798. (See letters, p. 2.) survey. performance can be measured against them "This is the first time we have had a speaker Sanfilippo stressed the importance of in the sixth step. It is here the complaints contact students ahead and persQnalize their surveying the internal and external can _be ~?lved. "Service Stars" can also presentation." Reely presented Sanfilippo Intents to file for S.A. offices are customer on a regular basis. ' 1How wiO you be Identified and then recognized and with a certificate of appreciation. due Monday, March 30. They should know what kind of service you are providing rewarded through programs or publications. Mter the program, Sanfilippo met with be turned into the S.A. office in the if you don't survey?" she said. The seventh step, accountability, comes members of the audience in the Benson lob- student center. Step four consisted of the "E" word: Em­ into J?lay after expectations have bee.!Lcom- by as she signed copies of her book, Five- powerment. This concept involves giving murucated. Sanfilippo finds accountability Star Service Solutions. 2 THE BISON, Searcy, Ark. 72149-0001, March 27, 1992 Relationships a private matter. .. NO TRESPASSING Ooinions Breaking up is easy to do. Convincing everybody else I'm not sure if this is a phenomenon unique to Chris­ .l. that it's the right thing to do is the hard part. tian schools and universities because I have never ex­ Politicians should visit real world If you don't understand where I'm coming from, read perienced the flip side. However, I do know that a lot of on and maybe you will. the strife that results after relationships end comes from instead of eliminating competition I grew up attending a small private school where outside parties close to one person or the other. Fingers Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury has given me a good laugh everyone thought that one date meant that two people were get pointed needlessly, rumors get spread and "friend­ this week. Trudeau features the unending supply of na­ an "item." This kind of thinking put pressure on everyone ships" get strained or injured. 1 also know that these things tional reporters who have become mesmerized by Arkan­ who wanted to just go out. It made fulks say, "Geez, I'm run contrary to the things ChriStians are supposed to do. sas' own Bill Clinton. Newspaper editors in the comic strip not sure I should go out withhlm/her 'cause all my friends By now you are asking, "So what are you saying, Kev?" have been amazed at the talented reporters they have been will think we're getting married or something." In fact, I'm saying that each person has his own standards, his oo.yn losing.

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