Customer Service

Brian White was named City Hospital's Quality Service Award winner for March. Each month, the hospital's Service Award Committee selects an employee to receive the award. White, an employee in the cardiac rehab department and The Wellness Center, was nominated for providing excellent customer service. “Brian gives the most consistent customer service of anyone I know at WVUH-East,” said Pam Gesford, a colleague who nominated him for the award. “All of his patients love him, whether it's in cardiac rehab or The Wellness Center.

By MARLO BARNHART Staff Writer There's a battle going on to determine whether private or government agencies can better provide child support services in Washington County. The outcome is still uncertain. "Customer service has already improved," said Ed Maloy, assistant director for administration at the Washington County Department of Social Services. The Hagerstown office was set up as a demonstration model in 1995. Maryland had enacted child support enforcement legislation requiring privatization of Baltimore City's system.

Customer service is what's driving Hagerstown's new taxi service, Antietam Cab Association Inc., according to President and Chief Executive Officer Doug Shumaker. Fresh from the long and difficult process of getting approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission, the new company put its cabs on the road Oct. 4, Shumaker said. Because taxi rates are set by the Public Service Commission based on service zones and mileage, Antietam Cab can't use lower rates to compete with existing local taxi businesses - one large and two very small, Shumaker said.

The state of Maryland's Department of Human Resources awarded the Washington County Department of Social Services' Family Investment Division with the Golden Fork Award on July 24.  The award was presented by Rosemary Malone, executive director of the Family Investment Administration, along with Joanne Glover, special consultant to Secretary Ted Dallas and Marilyn Lorenzo, program manager, Family Investment Administration. Washington County earned the award for exceeding goals set forth by the Department of Human Resources in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.

Customer service tips are offered The Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals urges managers not to forget the importance of customer service, and offers the following suggestions: Focus on people, not technology. While technology plays a vital role in customer service, people calling your business will prefer a friendly, helpful human much more than a menu of voice prompts. Train for the worst callers. Employees must be prepared for the most irate callers through coaching.

The Greater Waynesboro Chamber of Commerce in early December will offer “Understanding People's Behavior,” a breakfast seminar focused on customer service. Led by Dick Marks, developer of relational skills series “The Friendliest Place in Town,” the seminar will be from 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, in the chamber office, 5 Roadside Ave. The seminar will help those who attend develop their ability to recognize strengths and weaknesses in themselves and others; improve their rapport with others; and improve their self-confidence in relationships, according to a news release.

He likes the challenge Agencies name Abraham volunteer of the year By JULIE E. GREENE Staff Writer Austin Abraham enjoys helping people solve problems so much that he spends time both on and off the job doing just that. Because of his service, the Maryland Association of Community Action Agencies named him Volunteer of the Year on April 30. Abraham has been president of the Washington County Community Action Council's board of directors for almost two years.

One man's beef - Where's the service? By DICK FLEMING We stood looking silently at one another, locked in an uncomfortable gaze. I sensed each of us was waiting for the other to speak. It felt awkward, and I worried that her anticipation seemed less eager than my own. Finally, I decided to make the first move. I swallowed hard, and popped the question. "Are you ready to wait on me now?" Such is the heartbreaking state of affairs with customer service in a job market where pretty much everybody who wants to work does, but too many workers give the impression of being mired in cheerless tasks.

Hagerstown Trust Jon L. Jones, formerly with Susquehanna Bank in Greencastle, Pa., joins Hagerstown Trust in the role of senior vice president and manager of Corporate Development and Relationships for the Franklin County, Pa., market. He will be responsible for the management and development of commercial customer relationships in Franklin County, where Hagerstown Trust plans to significantly increase its presence. Jones, of Scotland, Pa., has a bachelor of science degree in quantitative business analysis from Penn State University and attended graduate classes at Kansas State University and Shippensburg University.

Five Washington County Technical High School students and eight Frederick County (Md.) Career & Technology Center students brought home awards in June from the 43rd annual National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Mo., according to a Maryland Department of Education press release. The local students were part of a team of Maryland students from career and technology education programs throughout the state focusing on 72 trade, technical, health occupations and leadership competitions, according to the release.