Students attend college by choice. They have a daily choice to start and stay. The way we treat them makes a significant difference.
It is essential to prioritize customer service within higher education to meet the evolving needs of our students.
That’s why we established the G.O.L.D. Standard at Alabama State University, with the support and expertise of Trellis Strategies.
Our October 17 webinar, now available on-demand, “Creating a Campus Customer Service Culture,” hosted by Trellis Strategies, offers a detailed look into our journey. In the webinar, our President, Quinton Ross Jr., Mr. David Hammond, Steve Smith of Trellis Strategies, and I discuss the culture shift we implemented at Alabama State – from concept to daily practice.
We started the process in January 2024 with the help of Steve Smith, culminating in an all-employee reveal of the G.O.L.D. Standard in August.
The G.O.L.D. Standard recognizes that university faculty and staff are committed to student success. They strive to provide the best possible support to students. But that’s not enough. A structured and accountable approach to customer service is essential for creating a positive student experience.
G.O.L.D. stands for Genuine, Open-Minded, Listening, and Demonstrate Excellence in Service. Our program is built upon these core values.
From there, we established strict goals for ourselves, based on measurable response and resolution times, as well as the overall demeanor in which service is delivered.
Our approach emphasizes continuous assessment. Every employee is evaluated on the G.O.L.D. Standard in annual performance reviews. President Ross and the cabinet regularly review data on our progress. Customer service is embedded within our strategic plan, ensuring oversight from the Board of Trustees.
We set up a G.O.L.D. Standard website for students, parents, and employees to submit a question, a request, a compliment or a concern. Messages are reviewed in real-time by my office of Institutional Effectiveness. If an issue requires attention, we route it directly to the Vice President overseeing the relevant area of the university. Leaders are personally invested in ensuring customer service is a constant priority.
I invite you to visit our G.O.L.D. Standard website: ASU (alasu.edu) Be sure to watch our short video, created by in-house talent at Alabama State. The video provides an engaging overview of our initiative.
Student lives are complicated. There are some things we can control at a university and some things we can’t. One thing we can control is the way we deliver service. At Alabama State, that’s the G.O.L.D. Standard, and through our partnership with Trellis Strategies, we aim to set a new benchmark for excellence in higher education customer service.
Dr. Tanjula Petty, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Initiatives, and Transformation at Alabama State University, is a transformative leader known for advancing student success and equity in higher education through data-driven, collaborative strategies. With a background in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Law, Dr. Petty brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, accreditation, and workforce development.