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must avoid so you can provide the type of
service that your customers need and deserve.
EFFECTS OF FACE-TO-FACE
CONTACT
As a customer, have you ever waited in
line only to be told when you finally reach
the window, “Come back tomorrow. The
person who takes care of that is not here
today”? Have you ever tried to get a question
answered and had the feeling that the person
to whom you were talking resented being
bothered? Have you ever walked into an
office and waited and waited for service? Did
you feel as though you were being ignored by
office personnel who were just standing
around? Did you notice that some of them
realized that you were standing there waiting
for service, but just looked the other way?
Most importantly, have you ever acted toward
a customer in an inappropriate manner, a
manner that is not consistent with your
professional responsibilities as a YN?
As you think about these questions are
you convinced that there were some good
reasons (not excuses) for these situations to
happen? The Chief of Naval Operations is
not, and a great many other individuals in the
Navy, both juniors and seniors alike, are not.
Only a wishful dreamer would expect all
Navy members to be 100 percent dedicated to
their work, but only a confirmed pessimist
would declare that the Navy is as good as it
will ever be. There must be a point between
these two extremes at which the problems and
requests of naval personnel, their dependents,
and of Navy employees can be and should be
handled
correctly,
promptly,
and
courteously–a point at which members will
be satisfied with the service they receive
without reducing the efficiency of those
providing the service.
Providing excellent customer service is the
responsibility of everyone in the Navy. A
few of the Navy’s ratings, however, are
involved primarily with providing services
directly to personnel.
These ratings include
AK, DK, DT, HM, LI, LN, MS, NC, PC, PN,
RP, SH, SK, and YN. Although this chapter
is intended for you, the YN, personnel in
other ratings who are reading this TRAMAN
can apply the same principles of providing
good customer service while performing their
jobs.
Think back to some recent contact you
have had with one or more of the personnel
service ratings.
How would you rate the
service you received? You are a member of
one of these ratings. How do you think your
service as a YN would be rated by those you
have served?
Now, carry this one more step. What
effect did this good or bad service from other
people have on you?
How would you
respond to courteous treatment and efficient
action as opposed to a “don’t care” attitude?
YOUR ROLE IN THE
ADMIN OFFICE
A customer seeking assistance in the
admin office can still be given good service
even though it may be impossible for you to
provide the desired results. People may ask
for things or services to which they are not
entitled or for which you may not have the
authority to approve or grant. In these cases,
providing good customer service refers to the
quality of service you can provide rather than
whether or not you are able to comply with
all the person’s wishes. When a person seeks
assistance in the admin office and you do not
provide it or you give the person the
“runaround,” “fast shuffle,” or a “don’t bother
me” response, you are relaying to this person
any one of the following impressions about
your attitude concerning his or her needs:
“You are not an important individual.”
“Your request or problem is not important
to me.”
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