Customer Service - Mow the Lawn!

Customer Service - Mow the Lawn!

At a recent division meeting, I spoke to my staff about how we are in the business of providing customer service – which results in our customers getting what they need, at the right quality, when they need it, at a fair and reasonable price.  As government procurement officials, we typically have a captive audience (customer base).  However, if given the opportunity, would our customers choose to use our services?  If not, that’s a problem.  Granted, the public procurement process can be cumbersome and lengthy, but there are valid reasons that make it so.  We know the reasons, but our customer may not.  It is our job to help our customers, mitigate risk, ensure compliance, and much more.  During the process, we should be showing the value we bring to the table and how we are here to assist them along the way. 

As I spoke to my staff on this subject, I shared with them a story I had heard from a keynote speaker at a CAPPO Conference many years ago (I believe it was Ray Ambler’s 2004 Conference in Long Beach on the Queen Mary).  The speaker relayed a story about a gentlemen who had experienced a medical issue while mowing his lawn.  The fire department paramedics were dispatched to the home to assist their “customer”.  They moved some furniture out of the way so they could attend to the gentleman and was eventually transported to the hospital.  But the fire department staff did not end their services when their customer was safely at the hospital.  They returned to his home, moved the furniture back to their rightful places and finished mowing his lawn.  Wow, now that is customer service!

I challenged my staff to try and find at least one instance every month where they can “mow the lawn” of their customer.  It might not take much effort either, just look for opportunities to go above and beyond your customer’s expectations.  If you find these opportunities, you not only will be showing yourvalue, you will have customers what would choose you, if given a choice.  So, I challenge you all to go out there and “Mow The Lawn”.  If you have any success stories to share, please post them on CAPPOLIST.

Craig Rader, CPPB, CPPO
CAPPO Director North
Past President 2016/2017