Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Bookstore is initiating a new program to support Gov. Sonny Perdue’s launch of Georgia’s “Customer Service Improvement Initiative” announced today. The new UGA program will allow students to order new or used books and supplies for their classes online at the time they register saving them time and effort.
“This program will make the start of the semester easier for students,” said UGA customer-service champion Tim Burgess, senior vice president for finance and administration. “The University of Georgia feels strongly about the need to provide high-quality customer service to our students, faculty, and staff, and we think this program will help accomplish that goal.”
The program is nearly complete and is already being tested. University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis has asked all University System of Georgia campuses to be poised to implement a plan for improving customer service beginning August 1.
“We expect the program to be well-received, and we think there will be a lot of students who will use this time-saving benefit,” said Burgess. It was used on a trial basis by some students this summer and is expected to be fully available during fall semester. The program was developed in-house in a cooperative effort between the UGA Bookstore and the Registrar’s Office.
“I am happy to see the governor placing emphasis on customer service across all lines of state government,” said UGA president Michael F. Adams. “This new program in the UGA Bookstore helps us to accomplish this goal. I expect the program to be successful, and I think the bookstore customers will be pleased with this initiative.”
“The campus-based customer service improvement plans will begin to create a culture that places more emphasis on customer service,” Davis stated. “In line with the Governor’s goal of achieving the best-managed state government, we intend to provide a model of service unparalleled in public higher education. Many of our faculty and staff already place our students’ needs first, but we need to institutionalize this practice and really own it.”
On Aug. 1, USG officials will launch a new web site (www.customerfocus.usg.edu) that will allow faculty, staff, students and taxpayers alike to monitor the progress being made with customer service improvements, and to view the customer satisfaction scores of USG campuses. Visitors to the web site also will be able to submit their suggestions and criticisms via an online comment tool.
“Each Georgia citizen who walks through our door for a government service is an opportunity,” said Perdue. “It is my intention that Georgia government employees will take advantage of those opportunities, showing citizens that we respect and value their time.”
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