CUSTOMER SERVICE: NARROWING THE GAP BETWEEN CUSTOMER AND PROVIDER
BY BERNARD J. MACK, JR.
This article is based on my applied research project submitted to the National Fire Academy (NFA) as part of the Executive Fire Officer Program, December 1996.
While reviewing the results of the Campbell Organizational Survey completed by all departments represented in an NFA Executive Fire Officer Program course, I noted a gap between my department`s score and the scores of the other departments in the area of customer service: It appeared as though the perceptions of those delivering the services were different from those receiving them.
When I returned to my department after completing the capstone course in the Executive Fire Officer Program in June 1996, I read the Philadelphia Fire Department`s most current annual report, which was for the year 1994. I read and reread the report, paying particular attention to the mission statement, which listed the following three objectives as those that were to be given priority for the future:
maximize efficiency,
invest in infrastructure and the physical environment, and
emphasize customer service.
Of these three objectives, the one pertaining to customer service stood out as the potential problem area to be addressed. Consequently, I chose it as the topic of my applied research project.
The problem as I saw it was that not everyone in the department knew what the department`s goals were. Not all had the opportunity to read the annual report, and not everyone was given a copy of the mission statement. Moreover, as far as I knew, the public doesn`t get to see our mission statement and, therefore, does not know what our goals are.
My research included analyzing the history of the Philadelphia Fire Department to observe how the goals have changed, to prepare to make additional improvement to successfully carry the department into the next century, and to evaluate the attitudes of personnel and citizens. Any deficiencies would be highlighted so that remedial action could be formulated and implemented. The quality of the services being delivered would be evaluated, and actions to correct any deficiencies interfering with customer expectations would be recommended.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
To determine if all the members of my department were in tune with those members queried for the Campbell Organizational Survey used in class, I instituted a survey. Survey forms were distributed to 10 battalions in the department. Each battalion received a cover survey that was to be completed and returned by the person in charge of the respective battalion. An additional 10 forms were to be completed by 10 individuals in the battalion selected at random by the battalion leader.
To assess the perspective of the city`s citizens, 750 survey forms were distributed to 15 business establishments.1 Each was given 50 copies.
A total of 1,140 forms were distributed among the civilian and uniformed populations. Four hundred and thirty were returned–189 from firefighters and 241 from civilians.
The survey addressed the following questions:
1. Has the leadership reinforced the goal of customer satisfaction so that all members of the department and the population of the city are cognizant of this fact?
2. Are our clients 100 percent satisfied with the service they receive?
3. Of the services being delivered, which do the clients feel is the most important?
4. What areas, if any, must be improved to better serve our clients?
SURVEY RESULTS
The survey results showed that some deficiencies existed. Slightly more that 300 of the survey respondents answered the first question (reinforcement of customer satisfaction) affirmatively. At the same time, however, the survey revealed that almost 30 percent of fire department respondents did not realize that the fire department considers the city`s citizens and visitors to the city as customers.
The civilian satisfaction quotient was determined by looking at survey questions 1, 2, and 3. Of the 241 civilian respondents, 173 reported that they had received some form of emergency assistance. Of these, 145 said they were satisfied with the service rendered. The civilians who said they were not satisfied with the service they received gave the following reasons: They waited too long for assistance, providers weren`t compassionate enough, the patient was talked down to, the responder gave the impression that he was being put out, the responder was discourteous and inconsiderate, and the responder was impatient.
Some 66 percent of total respondents indicated that they believed that firefighting is the most important function of the fire department. Almost 22 percent of respondents said they considered firefighting and medical assistance equally as important.
SUGGESTED AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Firefighters and civilians both listed areas that could be improved. The seven areas that ranked highest in both population surveys are listed below:
Firefighters
Additional apparatus, personnel, and equipment (35%)
Improve morale (15%)
Improve public relations (15%)
Improve call screening (15%)
Be more customer-service oriented (7%)
Privatize emergency medical services (4%)
More visibility (1%)
Civilians
Additional apparatus, personnel, and equipment (33%)
More visibility (22%)
Improve people skills (19%)
Improve response time (13%)
Improve call screening (separate system for fire and EMS) (8%)
Improve public relations (4%)
Provide for better follow-up procedures (2%)
The survey results show that some deficiencies exist. The fact that nearly 30 percent of firefighters responding to the survey did not recognize that the citizen and visitors to the city constituted the customer base had to be addressed by the leaders. Also, 20 percent of civilians were not satisfied with the service they had received. These two items also should throw up red flags indicating that trouble is brewing at the lower levels of the organization. The leadership had to open the lines of communication internally and with the population it serves. Dialogue regarding organizational goals and individual goals had to be assimilated.
Areas in which the firefighters` perception differs from the civilians` should be addressed to improve customer satisfaction. Personnel concerns must be part of the equation also, to provide a conduit from those providing the service to those receiving it. Both groups must be part of the solution.
ANALYZING THE RESULTS
Since it was formally organized as a paid fire department on March 15, 1871, the department`s primary function has been to extinguish fires within the city.
It appears not everyone in the department had the same goals as the leadership. One reason for this, as previously mentioned, may be that not all the people are aware that a printed mission statement exists. Although the annual report is printed and presented to the managing director, not all fire department employees are given copies. Therefore, not all employees are informed regarding the direction in which we are going. How can we know where we are going if we do not have the same goals in mind?
Fire department public relations efforts have alternately peaked and ebbed over the 45 years the department has been in existence. In 1952, for example, the department instituted an inspection program covering establishments such as taprooms, clubs, and bowling alleys, which became a combination public relations/inspection program. Many hazardous conditions were identified and corrected, averting the devastating consequences that could have resulted from incidents in these establishments. The city`s population heralded this inspection program.
In 1964, a group of fire department officers formed a special public relations committee. By August of that year, personnel had prepared an historical program that outlined efforts to control fires and identified fire prevention programs.
The spotlight was on the fire department once again in 1966 when firefighters began first aid training with the assistance of the American Red Cross (first aid training then became part of the recruit instruction program).
By 1970, however, the 35 enthusiastic members of the public relations committee that had received much attention six years earlier had dwindled to four active members.
Total community involvement and year-round fire prevention activities were the signs of the times in 1972. The Philadelphia Fire Department`s Annual Report for that year reminded everyone that “the original intent of the rescue service was to provide first aid and ambulance service to members injured on the fire grounds.” This same report, however, noted that the number of emergency responses for rescue squads had risen from 15,830 to 27,800 in the prior decade.
Rescue training continued to be a high priority. By October 1973, the first mobile intensive care unit (MICU) went into service. “Paramedic” became the new buzzword around the stations throughout the city. Twenty men were in the first graduating class in this program. They were assigned duties serving the citizens.2
By 1974, calls for medical services increased to 47,831. The leadership had determined that paramedic services would bring an increase in the workload, but no one anticipated how much the workload would increase. According to the 1979 Annual Report, the number of calls for emergency medical services had grown to 78,856.
Service to the population continued to be one of the hallmarks of the fire department during the 1980s. Raising the public`s awareness of smoke detectors as early warning devices to prevent the senseless loss of lives due to the fires became part of the public relations efforts.
Later in this decade, considering the public as consumers took on new meaning for the fire department. By the time we entered the 1990s, all engine and ladder companies were supporting the medic units throughout the city. Every engine and ladder company –which are equipped with external defibrillators and basic first aid supplies–could be dispatched as a first responder. Customer service became the driving force behind the department`s framework.
Now, we are once again stressing customer service as a priority. Although this is a priority for the mayor and the leaders of the department, I am not sure that this priority has been conveyed to the personnel who come in daily contact with the public. Perhaps, communication has become sidetracked and better communication is needed so that all department members will be given the opportunity to express ourselves and to have our goals intermingle and become attainable for everyone.
The present day emergency medical system and customer service programs have evolved over the past 50 years. Emergency medical systems primarily were to benefit fire service personnel injured in the line of duty. Over the years, this system has changed into today`s EMS system that now provides emergency prehospital care to anyone needing assistance.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Customer service should be the primary component of the equation involving recommendations. Both firefighters and civilian groups perceived additional apparatus, personnel, and equipment as solutions to the problems encountered. This solution, however, requires additional funding, which is not a feasible option in today`s environment. Our city was slowly returning from the brink of bankruptcy.
The second aspect that needed improvement, according to respondents, was additional visibility. Civilians and firefighters noted that need but in a different order of priority.
Additional visibilty would present little or no additional financial burden. Leaders could come out of their offices more often and be present at line functions. As for the public, the doors of the fire stations could be opened more often, and we could be more friendly. For more than 125 years, we have been providing services but, for most of the time, have remained behind closed doors, coming out when called and then returning to the sanctuary of our domain.
Next on the list of areas cited for improvement was people skills. Our city`s Outreach Course Curriculum for July 1, 1996 through December 31, 1996 did not include courses on how to treat people when facing adversities. Apparently, some of our customers believed we lack sensitivity when we come face-to-face with them and have expressed the desire that we react differently when dealing with them in emergency situations.
As Peters observes, “Customer service relies on the perception of the individual receiving the service. It`s best service in the customer`s terms that counts.”3 The providers may believe that they are near perfect, yet the customers may not totally agree. Both sides must maintain communication with each other to walk the same road together. Leaders must do everything possible to see that this takes place and that the perception of the provider be brought closer to that of the customer. We might be missing the target if we do not try to do this.
Also, improvements made in this area probably will assist in improving public relations, which was fifth on the civilians` list of categories needing improvement. We can marry these two for increased benefits to the department.
Improving response time and call screening go hand-in-hand. For several years, we have had problems, which have become more apparent with the inception of the 911 system. The original intent of the 911 system was “to stop a crime or save a life.” Once the system was implemented, however, all nonemergency phone lines were disconnected. This left only one way for citizens to report nonemergency events or request nonemergency assistance, meaning that all calls have to be routed through the 911 system for prioritization.
Recently Baltimore City has initiated a 311 phone number to cut down on the number of nonemergency calls made to 911. The Philadelphia Fire Department should consider reestablishing the nonemergency numbers to lighten the burden on the overtaxed 911 system.
Another way to alleviate the overload on the 911 system would be to institute a public education program that explains what is considered an emergency. By having all levels of the department–from the top down–participate in carrying this information to various community groups, we can heighten our visibility and hopefully improve our public relations efforts with all the groups within our borders.
People desire better follow-up procedures. Perhaps, they feel we should be like their doctors and return to see them after their traumatic events. Perhaps they just want to be given the opportunity to provide continued input that will guide us in determining the direction we should take into the next millenium.
TODAY
In an organization as large as the Philadelphia Fire Department, making changes always takes time. Over the past few years (since my project survey was conducted), additional paramedics and advanced life support units have been added to alleviate old problems.
A customer-based course is now offered at the Fire Academy. Training everyone in this curriculum will take time.
Problems that have been inherent in the 911 system are being addressed. Improvements to this system have been prioritized and are in the process of being implemented.
Perhaps the best way to determine whether the gap between department and customers` perceptions has diminished is to conduct another survey after the improvements have been made and the public has been made aware of them. We will then be better able to assess whether additional programs should be instituted. n
Endnotes
1. The following companies participated in the survey: American Packaging Corporation; Packaging Coordinator, Inc.; Perfecseal; Crown, Cork and Seal Co., Inc.; Staples Business Advantage; Trimfit, Inc.; Kingsbury, Inc.; Bodek and Rhodes; Deb Shops, Inc.; David Michael & Co., Inc.; Penn Jersey Paper Company; North Philadelphia Health System; Red Lion Group; Howard & McCray Refrigeration Company, Inc.; and Spring Air Mattress Company.
2. Philadelphia Fire Department Newsletter, Oct. 1973, 6, 10.
3. Peters, Tom and N. Austin. A Passion for Excellence. New York: Warner Books, 1985, 113.
n BERNARD J. MACK, JR., a battalion chief and certified fire protection specialist, is a 25-year veteran of the Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department. He has a master`s degree in public safety from St. Joseph`s University, Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy`s Executive Fire Officer Program.
