County adopts customer service standards

St. Joseph County employees are expected to adhere to a series of customer-service standards following action last week by county commissioners.
Introduced by human resources director Teresa Doehring, the resolution to adopt customer-service standards provides four ideals to follow when dealing with the public:
*Smile and greet people warmly.
*Take ownership of any customer concern.
*Assist without being asked.
*Respect the appearance of ourselves and our environment.
The resolution was approved Aug. 1.
Furthermore, the resolution includes a footnote stating county employees respect and protect the right to confidentiality; the value of diversity; the dignity of each individual; the significance of environment; and the importance of professionalism.
Doehring afterward said the resolution was not prepared in response to a specific situation or issue with any courthouse employee. Doehring indicated she meets regularly with members of an administrative-operations group and her peers all have introduced similar standards where they work. She added that the advice is as applicable to co-workers as it is the public.