Customer Service at PBS
Last month, April and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary. It was a pretty hectic summer so we didn’t plan a getaway, but we were able to go out for a nice dinner. While eating in a place that we normally would not choose for everyday dining, I noticed all the things they did to make our day special. April and I discussed all the extra touches that were happening to make it a unique experience. Some of the things we noticed were a knowledgeable waitress who was excited about her job, plenty of staff servicing tables, a manager who was circulating on the floor, both the waitress and the valet called us by name without asking (we had a reservation), and they gave us an anniversary dessert that was personalized.
Now I know that this type of behavior would not be expected at Wendy’s, but good service stands out there as well. You just know it when you see it. At a higher end restaurant, you expect it, and this restaurant delivered.
Meredith Holmes and Jessica Poumaroux outside the new Office of Communications and Constituent Relations |
Seeing customer service like that inspires me and it is the feeling that I want our parents and those who come into contact with the church and the school to experience. We now have an Office of Marketing, Enrollment and Communications that is tasked specifically to focus on customer service, constituent relations, and providing Parkview families – new and old – with the best educational experience possible. We know that our families have a choice when it comes to their tuition dollars. Most of our families are sacrificing financially to provide their children with a Christian education at Parkview, and we want to honor that by providing a unique experience at PBS….just like that restaurant did for April and me.
We have a great team in place to focus on these “Customer Service” touches. Our newest team member is Courtney Haindel, Director of Marketing and Enrollment. Courtney comes to PBS with her husband, Ben and three daughters (PreK, 3rd and 8th) after ten years of serving as Assistant Principal and Marketing
Cindy Harrison, Meredith Holmes, Courtney Haindel, Jessica Poumaroux |
Director at Northlake Christian in Covington. Courtney works with a team of four others, which includes Cindy Harrison, Admissions Coordinator; Jessica Poumaroux (PBS Class of ’08), Media and Communications Coordinator; Meredith Holmes (PBS Class of ’90), Constituent Relations Coordinator, and Noah Seta, LiveStream/Visual Arts Director. Courtney and her team hit the ground running at the beginning of the summer to put some “customer service” touches in place for the beginning of school.
If you come on campus, you will notice that the Admissions Office is now right in the center of campus (where my office used to be). This is an intentional strategic move to make our Admissions office centrally located, inviting, and easy to access for all of our potential families.
Our new Admissions Office right in the center of campus. |
The new Office of Communications and Constituent Relations is right in the center of the courtyard off the library, providing an inviting place for our Alumni Association, Parents-Teachers-and-Friends group, and other constituents to meet, fellowship and network. We are working on new signage all over campus to make it incredibly easy for potential and current families to navigate campus and see exactly where they need to go.
On the second day of school, the Admissions team made a personal phone call to every new family, as a part of our “Customer Service” initiative. Overwhelmingly the new kids loved their first day, and so many parents spoke about teachers that went out of their way to welcome the new students and answer questions; how the students embraced them and made them feel welcome, and that they were so thankful they decided to become members of the PBS family.
- “My teacher is AMAZING!”
- “Our first day was great. We visited a lot of schools over the summer and felt home at Parkview.”
- “Her buddy has made the biggest impact and helped out more than you could ever imagine. We are so thankful for that.”
- “Her peers made her feel welcomed. She even had some students asking her where to go, so it was nice to know that everyone is in it together.”
- “I just LOVED it! Everyone was so so nice and the food was so so good. Mom, the spaghetti was as good as you made it!”
- “My son loved it….he got a little extra attention from the ladies yesterday and this morning he put on cologne when he left school!”
- “She really appreciated the Principal coming into the classrooms and checking on her – that really made her feel special.”
- My kids came right home and said, “The people are all so open and friendly, we love Parkview!”
- “PBS is so welcoming and polite! I love it.”
- “She had an excellent day, she is excited about the year.”
- “She loves it, the history teacher tied in the lesson with the Bible, and one teacher prayed with the class. She is so excited.”
Since 1981, God has had His hand on Parkview Baptist School. The start of 2014-2015 is already off to something special. Thank you for being a part of it. We want you to experience Customer Service at Parkview Baptist like April and I did on our anniversary.
For our current families, we want you to know that you are loved and you are appreciated. Make sure to pick up your ‘Parkview Strong’ magnet from your division office or the Admissions office. We hope you will display it proudly on your car. If you need anything, or if you see something we can improve, please visit your Division Office, the Office of Communications, or the White House. We want to hear from you!
Don R. Mayes, Ed.D., Superintendent