IMCOM promise: World-class customer service

By Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, commander, U.S. Army Installation Management CommandMarch 12, 2012

Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, commanding general, U.S. Army Installation Management Command and Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Every day across our installations, members of Team IMCOM are working hard to provide world-class customer service and make it a great day to be a Soldier, Family member or Army Civilian.

A prime example is when a 71-year-old retired sergeant first class visited the Fort McCoy ID card office to renew his card. Mr. Ken Quade, a separation and retirement services specialist, noticed the retiree needed a different kind of card. He was not receiving all the benefits he should have.

Mr. Quade could see the customer needed help, and so he took corrective action. Incredibly, with Mr. Quade's help, the retiree was eventually able to recover more than $41,000 in back pay and receive other benefits he had earned.

Just imagine the impact of this on the SFC and his wife. They returned to the office to tell Mr. Quade in person what a big difference it made in their lives.

We in the Installation Management Command are charged with delivering the majority of installation services and Soldier and Family programs, and we know that a critical element of service delivery depends on our people.

World-class customer service depends on making connections with the customers across the counter--listening to them, working to find solutions, and saying thank you. It doesn't cost a penny to make someone feel like a million dollars. It does take a commitment to serve and provide leadership at every level.

Our focus on customer service is a promise of predictable service. It is a promise that customers will always be treated with courtesy, respect and an attitude of let's-make-this-work.

We can see many other great examples of customer service across IMCOM. There's Ms. Carol Pryer, a Survivor support coordinator with the Florida Army National Guard, who with great persistence and compassion has built a strong network for our most revered members, Army survivors.

Or Ms. Robin Greene at Fort Sam Houston, who has worked hard to streamline the process for providing housing for Soldiers with medical needs. Or Ms. Jessica Zagelow, Family Child Care Director at Fort Bliss, who goes above and beyond for children who need extra care. Or Mr. Nick Overstake and Mr. Pat Fielder at Campbell Army Airfield, who came in Christmas Day to repair runway lights and make sure a flight with redeploying Soldiers could land. There are way too many great examples to name them all, and to that I say, Go Team!

Thank you, IMCOM personnel, for setting the standard for customer service. I am extremely proud of our team and what you do for Soldiers, Families and Civilians every day.

And thank you, too, to our customers for your feedback. Keep sending us those ICE comments. Visit the IMCOM Facebook page and tell us about our team members who deliver excellent customer service. We want to know how we can improve, and just as much, we want to hear about our stars.

Army strong!

Related Links:

U.S. Army Installation Management Command

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