Setting a new benchmark for customer service, the G.O.L.D. (Genuine, Open-Minded, Listening and Demonstrate Excellence in Service) Standard initiative at Alabama State University aims to enhance student engagement, institutional effectiveness and overall satisfaction. Rooted in the university’s strategic plan, Focus 2030, the initiative seeks to build a culture of quality customer service across all facets of campus life.
“The vision comes from our strategic plan, which is Focus 2030,” said Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Initiatives and Transformation Tanjula Petty, Ed.D. “Within our strategic plan, I think it is anchor No. 5, where we talk about enhancing and improving customer service and customer satisfaction on the campus with our faculty, our staff, our students and the greater community.”
Petty, whose office is responsible for ensuring that strategic initiatives are implemented, emphasized the importance of institutional improvement.
“My job is to make sure that these items are being implemented and carried out so that we can ensure institutional improvement by building a culture of quality customer service on our campus,” she said.
To ensure the initiative’s success, the university is launching extensive training programs for faculty and staff, establishing clear goals, and incorporating customer service metrics into performance evaluations.
“We have also provided training, set goals and consistently communicated about the process of delivering good customer service,” Petty said. “We have included it in performance evaluations so that they will know this is not something episodic. This is something that is going to be continuous and ongoing, and we are going to sustain it here at ASU.”
Measuring the initiative’s impact is a crucial component. The university administers surveys to students each spring to track progress and establish baseline data for year-to-year comparisons.
“As it relates to the G.O.L.D. Standard, we have key performance indicators that we go by. We set goals, and we have a target for each year,” Petty explained.
Rather than viewing obstacles as roadblocks, Petty sees them as opportunities for growth.
“I do not really think that we have challenges. I see challenges as opportunities for growth and to be better,” she said. The university partnered with Trellis, a consultant organization, to refine its approach. “We are the only HBCU that has adopted a customer service model. We have presented nationally and will continue sharing what we are doing here at ASU with other institutions.”
David Hammond, the university’s program planning and evaluation coordinator, played a critical role in developing the initiative. He explained how the concept evolved.
“It was a team of us, our G.O.L.D. Standard community. We came together knowing we wanted to create a customer service model,” Hammond said. “When you think about gold, you think about something valuable, something people want to obtain because it is so special. And when you think about the standard, it is the bar that you want to meet and strive for. We put those two words together, and we have what we call today the G.O.L.D. Standard.”
“The initiative’s primary goals focus on responsiveness, accountability and professionalism. Goal No. 1: we want to make sure that we respond to individuals within 24 to 48 hours. Goal No. 2: we follow up and give a clear answer, even if that answer is ‘no.’ Goal No. 3: we remain cordial and professional at all times.”
He emphasized that good customer service is fundamental to student success. “When we are giving good customer service in academic advising, students feel empowered. How do students feel empowered? When they get a smile, when they hear, ‘Hey, we are going to figure this out together,’ when they receive help beyond just being handed a piece of paper,” Hammond said. “That engagement piece is important. When you walk into a restaurant, you expect good customer service. We want students to feel the same way when they walk into any office at ASU. Whether it is the Union, COBA (College of Business Administration), or financial aid, they should be greeted with professionalism and respect.”
To monitor effectiveness, the university has implemented the Hornet Secret Shopper program, a quality assurance initiative that randomly evaluates customer service in various offices.
“We send in evaluators at random to ensure that the G.O.L.D. Standard is being upheld,” he explained. “They may go to Student Life to inquire about starting an organization or email an office with a question. We assess whether they receive a timely and helpful response.”
The initiative also has long-term benchmarks.
“We have staggered goals for the next three years,” Hammond said. “We want at least 70% of students to report receiving G.O.L.D. Standard service in the first year, increasing to 80% the next, and 90% in the third year. While we are always chasing 100%, we want to set realistic targets.”
In the future, Petty envisions continued growth and integration of the initiative into the university’s culture.
“Long term, our students will be more satisfied,” she said. “I am not saying that everybody is going to be satisfied all the time, but I do believe that our students, their parents, faculty and staff will see an improvement. How we treat each other matters. When someone visits my office, they become a customer, and we want to make sure they experience the G.O.L.D. Standard.”
Hammond echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that the initiative is about more than just policies. It is about shifting the university’s culture.
“We want to make sure that when people encounter ASU, they remember the service they received,” he said. “We want them to say, ‘I was treated well at ASU,’ and that is what the G.O.L.D. Standard is all about.”