OHS Customer Service

by George Robotham from www.ohschange.com.au. See the rest of George’s Safety Reflections HERE

Many is OHS are really in customer service roles where our customers may be managers, supervisors, workers, unions, regulators and employer associations. Always treat the customer like a King or Queen-If you do not your competitors will.

As an OHS person the products you supply the customer with can include audits, training, accident investigation, problem solving, leading safety project teams, research, testing, risk assessments, provision of advice etc.

If you are an internal OHS consultant there will often be no charges for your services, it is suggested you should still adopt a mindset that you are able to prove value for your services. There have been many OHS corporate groups that have disappeared because their business unit customers regarded them as an overhead instead of adding value.

When one is in a field OHS position one gets involved in putting out bush fires and you may not have the chance to see the big picture. When one is in a Corporate OHS position one may get so immersed in the big picture that one loses contact with the everyday reality of how the organisation is managed. The effective customer service person must boundary ride through the 2 perspectives.

A key thing in customer service is to separate customer wants from customer needs, it is often necessary to help customers define their needs.

Another important thing is to tightly define the scope of assistance you will provide.

There will be times when you think some of your customers are just a pain in the rear end, you need to remember that without them you do not have a job.

Customer service tips

Like a lot of things in life the 7 P rule applies to customer service-Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

• Say thank you to customers.
• Give customers what’s In It for me from their perspective.
• Give them an offer they cannot refuse.
• Show the customer how the product will benefit them.
• Understand customer service is your top priority
• Give more than expected, better to under promise and over deliver; giving something of value for free is always a good idea
• Make customers feel important and appreciated
• Be a good listener
• Know what your customer wants
• Treat the customer with respect
• Admit your mistakes and apologise when required
• Give and receive regular feedback
• If the customer wants something special try your best to deliver
• Keep customers updated
• Keep your promises
• Ask your clients how you are going
• Provide topical information
• Learn about customer service
• Give special service to regular customers
• Return phone calls promptly
• Extend your hours of operation
• Reduce response / turnaround time
• Take ownership of problems that come your way, never pass the buck

Conclusion

Adopting a customer service mentality can assist OHS personnel to improve service delivery and perceived credibility

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p align=”justify”>George Robotham, Cert. IV T.A.E.,. Dip. Training & Assessment Systems, Diploma in Frontline Management, Bachelor of Education (Adult & Workplace Education), (Queensland University of Technology), Graduate Certificate in Management of Organisational Change, (Charles Sturt University), Graduate Diploma of Occupational Hazard Management), (Ballarat University), Accredited Workplace Health & Safety Officer (Queensland),Justice of the Peace (Queensland), Australian Defence Medal, Brisbane, Australia, fgrobotham@gmail.com, www.ohschange.com.au,07-38021516, 0421860574, My passion is the reduction of permanently life altering (Class 1 ) personal damage