Customer Service

UIC employees ensure each customer’s interaction with UIC is productive and positive. Customers may be students, members of the public, or fellow employees. Customer Service is displayed through the ability to answer questions, or provide access to appropriate resources and assisting in a polite, professional, and timely manner.

As employees progress in tenure and responsibility, the expectation is the employee will exhibit higher-level skill, knowledge, and ability in customer service. Examples of higher-level behaviors indicated for those who may have years of experience in a role, lead a project team, head up a committee, or demonstrate exceptional skill. Employees who consistently exceed the expectations of their role may become a mentor to others.

Behaviors

  • Focuses on each customers’ needs and expectations when delivering service
  • Initiates customer service interactions promptly, and uses non-verbal and verbal communication to set a positive tone
  • Perceives emotions and manages negative emotions during customer engagements
  • Addresses customer requests in a professional and polite manner
  • Listens closely, asks questions, and actively seeks information to understand the situation completely
  • Can find common ground to provide alternatives that meet customer needs and concerns
  • Values the customers’ perspective and collaborates with the customer to select a solution
  • Takes ownership to identify appropriate resources, provide accurate information, and resolve issues
  • Follows up to validate success in resolving customer problems

Higher Level

  • Seeks to improve customer experience through building expertise, tracking customer satisfaction, and process improvement
  • Encourages the team to examine processes and suggest ways to improve customer service delivery
  • Anticipates customer needs and develops plans to improve customer service approach

Check the Training Calendar and register

Check learning resources from UICHR Customer Service

LinkedIn Learning – conduct a search for topics that support your needs; ‘customer service’ ‘difficult customers’

20 Expert Customer Service Tips To Try Right Now, Micah Solomon

  • Be Our Guest: Perfecting The Art Of Customer Services, The Disney Institute, and Theodore Kinni, (2011).
  • Powerful Phrases For Effective Customer Service: Over 700 Ready To Use Phrases And Scripts That Really Get Results, AMACOM, Renee Evenson, (2012).
  • Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service, Blanchard Family Partnership and Ode to Joy Limited, Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles, (1993).
  • Legendary Service: The Key is to Care, Polvera Publishing, Ken Blanchard, Vicki Halsey, (2014).