Developing a customer service mindset can pay off with deeper trust that facilitates better community-school cooperation and helps retain students. In Fort Wayne Community Schools in Indiana, which is often hailed as an example of a district with excellent customer service, Superintendent Wendy Robinson says her schools needed to understand they do have customers and must respect them.
Private and charter schools are outdoing public schools when it comes to parent satisfaction. Only 43% of public school parents surveyed by Rice University said they are “very satisfied” with their child’s school, compared with 61% of private school parents and 56% of charter school parents. Faculty members regularly interact with families, so they already provide customer service.
