66 SVS: Taking customer service to the next echelon

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Clinton Atkins
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  The 66th Services Squadron operates approximately 20 facilities on and off base and interacting with customers is an integral part of what 66 SVS personnel do everyday. 

Yet, providing top customer service is no easy task -- it requires diligence and training, which wasn't always available, said Edwin Luna, 66 SVS training manager. 

"The military has very good training for all military people," Mr. Luna said. "[Military personnel are] constantly going to tech schools and then to leadership school. On the civilian side, we don't really have that." 

In the past year, the services squadron has conducted more than 80 hours of training in customer service, staff and supervisory development. 

The 66 SVS held additional training classes Sept. 18 and 19; two more classes will be held Sept. 27. 

This year, the training has been led by Holly Elissa Bruno, a keynote speaker and specialist in training workshops. 

Her sessions held in May and early June focused on emotional intelligence, which helps the 66 SVS personnel better understand how personality differences effect customer relations. 

"Staff development training is really critical for, in some cases, providing basic kinds of soft skills," Mr. Luna said. 

"This is training that is not really provided in the civil service sector and especially not for the non appropriated fund civilians. This is training that is sorely needed." 

Mrs. Bruno facilitated three different classes Sept.18 and 19. The first class, titled, "The customer is always right," was a three-hour class attended by front line staff members. This class will be offered again twice on Sept. 27 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m. The latter class will be geared toward non-native English speakers. Personnel assigned to the 66th Air Base Wing may register to attend either of these classes. 

On Sept. 18 and 19, Mrs. Bruno also facilitated a supervisory class geared toward dealing with difficult customers, and a class for the services' squadron child care staff member titled, "Partnering with parents and families: using the NAEYC code of ethical responsibility to build multicultural relationships." 

"All of our managers are primarily technicians," he said. "Many are specialists in their field, but are not trained in supervisory leadership. That's what we are trying to provide in these supervisory staff development classes," Mr. Luna said. 

The 66 SVS Director, David Van Steenburg, said, "We have an outstanding team of men and women who are dedicated to serving the Hanscom community." 

"This ongoing training program will take us to the next level in providing the high degree of customer service that our valuable customers have come to expect," he said. "After all, it is customer service that remains the key to our success." 

To register for the customer service class on Thursday or to learn more about the customer service classes, call Mr. Luna at (781) 377-1578 or e-mail Edwin.Lunaathanscom.af.mil. 

Customers of 66 SVS facilities are reminded that the squadron seeks feedback. One way customers can submit feedback is the Interactive Customer Evaluation. Hanscom users can log onto http://ice.disa.mil, which is accessible publicly, to submit completely anonymous customer feedback and suggestions about various base facilities.