Leaders focus on building a culture of service excellence by defining what service looks like for students, for their parents, and for employees. While “customer service” is rarely associated with schools, a focus on exceptional service to internal and external customers actually translates to a great reputation in the community, complimentary recommendations from those interacting with the school system, and loyalty from employees. Building a culture of service excellence is critical for sustained results in a school system.
Why Service Excellence in Schools?
Put purpose back into the work that we do. There’s an accountability that grounds the work that leaders do, “you can count on me,” and it is not disconnected from purpose, worthwhile work, and making a difference.
Everything we do in education is grounded in good service. Service to folks students, parents, community members, and other external stakeholders, and to those we work with every day in departments and schools across a school system.
Service excellence provides an opportunity to extend and grow trust across the system. How? Feedback and consistency of practice. For example, in most school districts there are pockets of excellence; our commitment must be for all departments and all schools to achieve excellence or “best in class” status. This means consistency in quality no matter where an individual walks in a school system.
School Pride. There is great value in having employees, parents, and community members whose perceptions of the excellent service they receive make them proud to be associated with the district, quick to recommend the district and the schools to others, and most importantly, able to support and defend the district at all times.
Service excellence means serving colleagues, serving educational professionals, and serving others. When we build a culture of service excellence in our schools, we are committed to creating great places for students to learn, for teachers to teach, and for parents to have confidence that their children are receiving a great education.
