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The Five Senses: Every Touch Point Matters in Food Service
Leaders who want to give the best customer service in their school's food service have a lot of factors to consider. Creating happy...

Kelly E. Middleton
May 21, 20206 min read


Consistency During a Pandemic
I’ll admit it. I love a McDonald’s hamburger and fries from time to time. There’s something so familiar and comforting about knowing...

Kelly E. Middleton
Apr 14, 20203 min read


Public School Customer Service During a Pandemic
"A leader is a dealer in hope." -- Napoleon Bonaparte The 2020 coronavirus pandemic has impacted public education immensely. Those of us...

Kelly E. Middleton
Mar 19, 20205 min read


Administrative Assistants: Have Your Front Lines Received Customer Service Training?
I am often surprised by the lack of training everywhere I go. Whether it's a business, public school, doctor's office or place of...

Kelly E. Middleton
Mar 9, 20203 min read


Food Service For the Win: How a Cafeteria Renovation Transformed Our School Culture
When time, creativity and an eye for customer service go into revamping cafeterias, we can have great results.

Kelly E. Middleton
Jan 21, 20204 min read


Exit Surveys - Dos and Don'ts
I was recently reading an article by customer service guru Shep Hyken about the importance of making sure the customer has a positive end...

Kelly E. Middleton
Mar 27, 20194 min read


Under-Promise, Over-Deliver and the Roast Beef Broken Promise
In my most recent book, Competing for Kids, I talked about the customer service concept of under-promising and over-delivering. What that...

Kelly E. Middleton
Dec 14, 20183 min read


Why Customer Service is the Answer to Saving Public Education
In the past, public education thrived because it was the only schooling option for the vast majority of families. Few could afford...

Kelly E. Middleton
Oct 20, 20183 min read


Never Ruin an Apology with an Excuse: Concept #15 Recover Well
One of the most overlooked yet crucial practices in customer service is the apology. People's egos just don't want to admit they were...

Kelly E. Middleton
Oct 12, 20184 min read


Utilizing Multiple Communication Channels for Customer Service
In today's technologically advanced world, timely communication is critical in order to give great customer service. Historically, the...

Kelly E. Middleton
Oct 3, 20183 min read


Celebrate National Customer Service Week by Recognizing Your Staff!
Those of us who follow the news in the customer service world know that the first week in October is National Customer Service Week...

Kelly E. Middleton
Sep 28, 20182 min read


Trader Joe's - A Model for Customer Service
Trader Joe's ranks among the top companies in customer service (and tops among grocery stores) every year. Who would ever think that a...

Kelly E. Middleton
Sep 19, 20183 min read


Concept #7 - Collect Reliable Information About Your Customer Service Practices
When it comes to providing great customer service, it's important to make sure that you're actually helping the customers with issues...

Kelly E. Middleton
Sep 11, 20184 min read


Only 15 Cents Short: Why Does Customer Service Elude So Many in Public Education?
Recently, a public school in Florida made the national news when a mother reported that her child was denied lunch for owing 15 cents on...

Kelly E. Middleton
Aug 28, 20184 min read


Professional Learning Communities: The Intersection of Customer Service and School Culture
I'd like to dedicate this post to the late Richard DuFour (February, 2017) and Rebecca DuFour (July 2018) and their incredible, inspiring...

Kelly E. Middleton
Aug 16, 20183 min read


Student Advocates: A Public School Twist on Data Mining
When it comes to customer service, Cheers got it right: "You want to go where everybody knows your name." But how they know your name can...

Kelly E. Middleton
Aug 9, 20183 min read


Concept #17 Don't Do Dumb Things
We've all made silly mistakes. It happens; we're human. But when it comes to making decisions without using common sense, I have a hard...

Kelly E. Middleton
Aug 1, 20182 min read


20 Tips for Improving Your Home Visit Program
It's home visit time again in Newport Independent Schools. Last year the Kentucky School Board Association honored Newport Independent...

Kelly E. Middleton
Jul 25, 20183 min read


The Importance of Lagniappe, or, Giving A Little Bit Extra
In J.D. Power and Associates' book Satisfaction, a study on what makes a consumer rave about a company asked participants what quality...

Kelly E. Middleton
Jul 19, 20183 min read


Creating a Seamless User Experience: How Schools Can Use Technology to Complement Existing Protocols
I recently bought tickets to a movie theater online. I hadn't done it before but was running late for the movie and wanted to ensure I...

Kelly E. Middleton
Jul 16, 20184 min read