MCG launches customer service program
by Toni Baker
The Medical College of Georgia is undertaking a broad-based program to improve service, starting with a focus on efficient responses to requests for data, university officials say.
“Our customer service plan will be far-reaching,” said Deb Barshafsky, MCG vice president for decision support. “Since transparency and accountability are so important to our president and our approach to leadership, we decided to start by improving our processes and products related to how we disseminate institutional data.
“We are looking at data we provide to key groups, such as the University System office, the governor’s office, legislators and reporters, to ensure that we have appropriate processes in place to quickly provide accurate, consistent and meaningful information about anything from student numbers to research dollars.”
MCG President Daniel W. Rahn asked Ms. Barshafsky to lead MCG’s customer service initiative in March when University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. asked each of the system’s 35 public colleges and universities to select a representative to help identify and lead customer service improvement plans.
Gov. Sonny Perdue set the process in motion in January when he created the Office of Customer Service with faster, friendlier service from all state agencies as his goal. He kicked off his initiative at the Capitol Education Center in Atlanta July 25.
“Each Georgia citizen who walks through our door for a government service is an opportunity,” said Gov. Perdue. “It is my intention that Georgia government employees will take advantage of those opportunities, showing citizens that we respect and value their time.”
“We are a public health sciences university with the unique privilege of helping reduce the burden of illness and promoting the health of Georgia citizens,” said Dr. Rahn. “This privilege brings with it a mandate that we provide a friendly, accessible environment for our many publics. Stewardship is central to our mission. This initiative is an extension of that commitment.”
Ms. Barshafsky is working to facilitate response to requests for information and using IRIS, the university’s Web-based data and information system (www.mcg.edu/iris) to monitor information requests and make the information readily available.
MCG’s customer service improvement plan also has a more traditional focus on front-line customer service. She is working with Human Resources to ensure excellent customer-service skills for all MCG employees.
“I want to make sure the idea of providing superior customer service to people who come to this institution for whatever reason is on everybody’s radar screen. There is no doubt we already provide good to great service in many areas, but we can always do better,” Ms. Barshafsky said. Awards and other recognition for superior service will reinforce the importance of customer service to the institution.
In preparation for phase two of the initiative this fall, she has begun discussions with School of Nursing administrators about creating a more student-centered environment and with Student Financial Aid on improving service to MCG students.
“In line with the governor’s goal of achieving the best-managed state government, we intend to provide a model of service unparalleled in public higher education,” said Chancellor Davis. “Many of our faculty and staff already place our students’ needs first, but we need to institutionalize this practice and really own it.”
University System of Georgia officials have launched a Web site, http://www.customerfocus.usg.edu, that allows faculty, staff, students and taxpayers to monitor the progress of customer-service improvements of USG campuses and make suggestions for additional improvement.