Customer Service

I'm in the customer service business.  I serve the people who serve the veterans in receiving their benefits.  What I do makes a difference in how the veterans are ultimately served.  I delight in getting answer back to those who ask me questions in as fast a time as I can.  I want to delight them with my response.  Surprise them with it's speed and thoroughness. 

We are all in the customer service business.  Even if you don't serve in a traditional customer oriented business you serve customers in whatever capacity you are working or volunteering.  As followers of Christ we are  to serve those with whom we occupy this planet.

I had some experiences recently with my doctor's office that led me to remember the last time I had really good customer service.  It was in contrast to what I got from the family practice where I go for care. I got a card last weekend from my doctor's office.  It said my blood work was normal and the xrays on the knee that brings me excruciating pain on occasion was normal.  What is "normal"?  Is the pain I am experiencing normal?  Oh, by the way, I didn't have my blood drawn until the Mon after I got the card on Sat saying the blood work was normal.  I don't even know where to begin on how that is possible.

About mid week I got the chance to call the doctor's office.  When I mentioned that my knee is still extremely painful on occasion even though my xrays were "normal" I said that I wanted to get an MRI.  Well, it before asking me anything she said that I would need to come in for another appointment to have the doctor write me an order for an MRI.  Well, okay, if that's the case I can come in on Sat.  No, she replied, we don't take routine visits like that on Sat.  I work out of town all week, I said and that's the only time I can get in.  She'd have to check with the doctor.  Oh, by the way, I told her that the doctor had suggested that if the xrays were normal that he would write me an order for an MRI.  She hadn't bothered to ask me about that.  She just assumed that I would need to make another appointment.

I got some customer service.  The doctor actually called me back in about 10 minutes.  He went over my blood work that was back by then, for real, and then told me he would write me an order for an MRI.  I should call back later that day or the next to find out when it was scheduled.  Well, I got busy and made the call on Sat.

The doctor's office is open on Sat but they apparently don't work that day.  The gal who answered the phone couldn't tell me when my MRI was scheduled (and I haven't received a phone call informing me of it yet either).  She said that my doctor who ordered it wasn't in today and I'd have to call back on Mon.  Can't you tell me the schedule?  Well, do I know who the nurse was who made the call?  I didn't have a clue.  So I have to call back again Mon...when someone is working who knows what is happening.

Now let me contrast that with a call I made to my health care provider.  When they couldn't find me in the system they put me on hold and called Washington to find out where my healthcare application was.  The gal was pleasant, did all the work for me and asked me when she was done if there was anything else I needed help with.  Now, that is briefly what customer service is all about.  She was determined to make sure all my questions were answered.  She didn't suggest that I call Washington and find out what was going on.  She did it right there for me.

I felt like I mattered in the last conversation.  I didn't have to beg to have my needs met.  The effort was made by the person I called.  With the doctor's office, I was the one who had to do all the leg work.  The person on the phone didn't have the answer so I needed to call back again some time and risk getting someone else who didn't know the answer either.  I was also supposed to alter my schedule to fit their schedule.  My convenience wasn't the most important.  There's was.

What makes good customer service?  It's when the person you are dealing with takes your needs into consideration and serves them with joy and professionalism.  They aren't thinking of themselves but they are thinking of you the customer who has a need that they can meet.  How often do you run into someone who obviously is more concerned about their needs than yours?  Another way of saying that is how often to you run into someone who's job depends on serving you but it's clearly apparent they are thinking only of the inconvience you are bringing into their lives?

As followers of Christ, what should our customer service look like?  Well, to start with it should focus on the person we are serving.  That's hard to do when you are still self-centered or in so much pain yourself that you don't have any energy to serve someone else.  Is there a solution to that?  How about going to church more often, reading your Bible earlier in the morning or tithing more?  Do those work for you?

They don't work for me.  What has helped me get my focus off myself is the unconditional love I have received from my Father.  He loves me and responds to my every need.  When I came to Him broken and admitting my woundedness and self-centeredness, He responded with loving care, healing my heart and pouring into me the oil I needed to soothe my wounded heart.  As I have received from Him, I have the capacity to love others more than myself and to be ready to serve them when they are only focused on their pain and their needs.

You can't learn that kind of customer service in a seminar.  It has to be in the presence of the One who loves us abundantly.  Have you received that?  Have you experienced the deep love of Someone who is looking out for your needs and your best interests?  When and if you have, you are able to give to others what you have received yourself.  If you haven't really received it, then you aren't going to be able to keep up the facade of caring very long.  In fact, that's called doing it in the flesh and not the Spirit.

I need more of the Father and I need more of those who are seeking Him with their whole hearts.  I need the fellowship of those who are seeking to provide customer service to the world we are living in.  They aren't getting enough of it...even from Christian businesses.  Join with me and let's change that.