Remarks as part of a seminar discussed by the employees of the Marriage Division – Jerusalem Religious Council, Nissan 2009.
- Opening – "Service Consciousness" – Why Is It Important?
- Our target audience, what it gets from us and how
- Expectations and challenges
- What is the best service
- Cases and responses – practical tools for managing a conversation and a meeting
- Feedback, ideas for improvement, service charter
Opening – "Service Consciousness" – Why Is It Important?
Those who come to spend time, to engage, on the subject of "service consciousness" – should first ask and find out why this is important. As Torah scholars we must also ask whether this subject is just a "professional" subject or whether the Torah has something to guide and tell us on this subject.
Well, we approach the issue of "service consciousness" – of a desire to provide optimal and quality service, from a Torah and values perspective – there is real value in giving a good service, being the best possible. It's part of sticking to the good source. It is part of the commandment of and "walked in his ways." To make a Jew feel good, to brighten his face and do him kindness.
In addition, the meeting of the target audience – most of whom are couples about to get married, with you – the employees of the marriage department, is a meeting with the establishment, with Judaism – for them you are the face of Judaism and the establishment. And as you give better service, the attitude towards Judaism becomes more dignified and loved.
Also, that a person gets to give to another, he himself receives – that an employee sees a customer who comes out with a smile,
Giving good service is a right, but also a duty – whoever receives a salary is required to do a mental calculation, is he entitled to every shekel he receives. We recognize in the literature the questions and answers of halakhic discussions, whether a teacher of Beit Raban infants should get up early in the morning to say sorry or whether the fact that this will cause him fatigue and perhaps nervousness and impatience for children, makes us judge that it is better not to get up early.
For these reasons, it is now possible to move on to more practical matters, good service, causing more customers to come to us, causing the target audience that has already come – to recommend to its members – this has direct and indirect implications for the need for staff and the existence of the division.
And for another matter, that we are talking about "service consciousness", and the desire to make an employee be an employee who raises a head and comes to work out of a desire to give optimal service, it starts with the attitude that the employee himself receives. In the response he receives to his needs, in the professional training and how to create a sense of belonging of the employees to the place, as well as in the employee's trust in the manager and his ability to influence – they will listen to him and what he has to offer.
Our target audience, what it gets from us and how
The first step in the service improvement process is to precisely define who the target audience is. The more accurate we can be to the various groups according to appropriate criteria, the more accurate we will be to service and adapt it, for example:
a. Distinguish by the question of what people want and what they come for – married couples, witnesses, a person who comes to get a certain certificate or approval from a relative, a person who is looking for another department in the council, an employee of the department or another department, and basically anyone who comes to us.
B. Within the following pairs for registration – a distinction between situations that have anti and resistance; Older couples versus young couples; Couples immigrating from abroad; couples who do not have halakhic knowledge and want to hear and more.
Regarding the service we provide, it is important to remember that the customer service experience is not a "point" but a "line" – that is, it is a process that begins before the couples come to the council, it starts with what they hear about the council, how they find information online and it ends after the wedding. , By submitting the forms, and in a way that the council chooses to be in touch with later.
For example, do you send them a Mazal Tov greeting for the first anniversary of their marriage, do you offer them an e-mail with professional material on the subject of relationships and parenting, and other ideas that can be raised.
Expectations and challenges
After we do a "mapping" of the target audience, we can pinpoint the required service, examine what each audience expects to receive from us and whether there is a gap between the expectation and the way things are conducted and whether the gap can be narrowed.
Some practical examples can be given:
a. A couple comes to the marriage registration board with witnesses and expects to finish within half an hour, but he does not understand, for example, that receiving the witness can only be done after the case is opened – in this case, there may be room to recommend to couples that the witness come another time and / or This can take time.
B. Audience reception times – how much we adapt ourselves and allow reception hours even in the afternoon and evening.
In relation to each audience – the challenges that each audience brings must be raised and it must be examined how they can be given the best answer. For example, how much do we think it is necessary to match between the rabbi and the person with whom they meet.
Also, substantive and halakhic questions sometimes arise, on this subject it is worthwhile to meet and discuss from time to time, in order to discuss them and formulate a uniform policy, and when necessary even raise things to halakhic rulings.
What is the best service
You can point to a number of key principles and matters that lead to optimal service:
a. Uniform service and building trust, transparency.
B. Customized – different languages; Different cultures; People with disabilities.
third. Tailored to expectations.
D. Up-to-date and accurate information, IT systems and the Internet.
God. availability.
and. Speed and efficiency.
P. Respectful attitude.
H. The little things, the candies on the table …
t. Desire for improvement; Control and feedback.
י. Improving the image of the council, improving the image of Judaism and hospitality.
In the age we live in, the customer examines us, compares us to other places, and expects to receive optimal service.
The gifts the couple receives, the material with the explanation of the process, etc. – are excellent examples of the application of the above principles.
At the same time, it is important to remember that "optimal service" does not necessarily mean that you always have to please the customer, but every case and request must be considered individually – sometimes due to the responsibility we have in law and tradition. To harm something else in the present or in the future, etc. Therefore – mainly need to explain from a matter-of-fact place why we do what we do.
Cases and responses – practical tools for managing a conversation and a meeting
We will now touch on some principles and practical tools that will help us in managing the conversation and meeting with the client.
First, we must remember that we do not have to go into a "personal" place – "take things personally", we do not have to take responsibility for people's choices and why they chose to react the way they did, but we must examine our conduct in a professional and matter-of-fact manner.
Of course, as human beings, and as dedicated workers, you often show sensitivity and a desire to help and give to married couples far beyond what the "dry law" expects of you, and like all kinds of exciting stories about rabbis who went with brides to dip and so on.
Second, we often have a tendency to listen and then respond immediately – for example a customer makes a request, we at best, are silent and hear and then respond positively or negatively, but often the secret of success lies in patience and the ability to ask questions even before our response. Questions that come from a place of desire to better understand the request, why it is important to him and what he wants to achieve, etc. The
need to ask the questions is important for several reasons – it allows us to really be with the client and listen to his story, and he allows us to be more creative and see what And how his needs can be addressed.This
issue of identifying needs is particularly important, sometimes it is precisely the experience and early familiarity with the issue that makes us forget that different human beings – may have similar requests, but they come from different needs.
Thirdly, it is important to have a sensitivity, while the client and effort he is doing, and often lacking in form and so forth, an effort was made what will be done and how customers feel that we respect his time and he did not council vain.
Fourth, often the test of consciousness Service is in places where we have failed, in places where there has been a mistake – and precisely the correct response after, is the one that is etched and burned into the customer's memory.
We are human beings and everyone who does can err Head of the call, including a gift given from the wing when needed.
I advise any organization, think in advance about how appropriate response to it – in situations where was the conduct wrong with the customer.
fifth, encouraging large head, especially when you issue arises, such as her department's director at the time The need.
Feedback, ideas for improvement, service charter
One of the tools we have at our disposal to learn about customer satisfaction is the "feedback" we give him to fill in – the main question is how we utilize this tool and learn from it. Is it a form that remains in some binder, or for example – do one sitting every few months and analyze and try together to learn from the forms and bring to light, ideas for improvement.
In addition, there is room to schedule employee meetings – once a period, in which cases have arisen and employees are encouraged to come up with ideas for improvement.
In the digital age, the presence on the Internet – is needed by a great many of our customers. It is worthwhile to hold professional working meetings where it will be decided what content will be uploaded to the site and how the knowledge and information will help couples and clients, save them time, lead to narrowing the gap in expectations, etc.
And for another matter, there are workplaces that write a "service charter" that seeks to reflect the principles by which they work – this may be a good idea, provided the charter does not remain a "picture" on the wall, but penetrates the hearts of workers and the process of dealing with it is not sharp. Sometimes but a process that is dealt with from period to period.
Finally, as we have opened – the issue of service consciousness is first and foremost, a right and possibility to adhere to the virtues of God, and the right to enlighten. It is admirable to see people sitting and busy with this important subject and the question of how to multiply well.
I would like to congratulate you – the director of the division, Rabbi David Bennino, the rabbis, all the employees of the marriage department – that you will succeed in your dedicated and faithful work.
And may there be a desire, that he who is engaged in building houses in Israel, may God fulfill his desire and be privileged to see his seed establish faithful houses in Israel.