Ball State University's Human Resource Services has developed a program to improve customer service.

"Roll Out the Red Spirit of Service" has been developed for professional, staff and service personnel and will focus on renewing Ball State's commitment to excellent customer service throughout the university community.

In accordance with Ball State's strategic plan, research will be conducted to develop customer service training sessions to be held in 2008 and 2009. An electronic survey will be sent to students this month. In February and March, consultants will visit campus to conduct focus groups with employees and students from selected campus departments.

Judy Burke, director of human resources, said that Ball State has always been known as a friendly campus, and the aim of this program is to take that friendly service to the next level.

"When we take the results of the customer service assessment from the students and focus groups, we are hoping to identify what we are doing well, so we can continue doing those things," Burke said. "But we also want to determine where the gaps are, and in the training, we will be concentrating on closing those gaps."

By Jennifer Strempka