Customer Relations A
A segment of the American farming and ranching population have been identified as "underserved" by the Federal government agency charged with servicing the needs of all of America's farmers and ranchers. This group's designation, which was the result of the agencies own research, positioned members of this group for special outreach support and assistance by the agency. An important reason for this support was a concern by the agency that the number of formal complaints of discrimination over unequal treatment in the level and quality of support they have been provided was unacceptable and reflected poorly their commitment to support all farmers and ranchers in America.
Challenge
The agencies servicing office for this constituency needed to develop strategies that would help the agency eliminate both the reality as well as the perception of inequality in the quality and amount of program support that members of the underserved population received. More importantly, the agency needed to eliminate the public and political vulnerability that results from the charges of unequal treatment by those who were underserved. In short they needed to do a better job of reaching out and ensuring that those who are underserved are served better.
Action
The Institute for Human Development designed, developed, implemented and managed a project to equip program staff to manage, better, the organizational hurdles and stresses involved in carrying out the outreach program and process. This involved the development of three key products that staff and other stakeholders could use to promote the process of outreach inside and outside the organization. This also included the development of a resource document that the constituents would provide targeted constituents greater access to program information and knowledge they could use to take advantage of resources available to them from the agency. The key products that we developed to accomplish the aims of this project were (a):
- comprehensive information manual for program staff and key stakeholders
- training program for Women in Agriculture (WIA), a growing constituency
- train-the-trainer program to teach staff how to train and reach out to WIA
- marketing brochure to broaden and enhance the quality of information available for American farmers and ranchers and stakeholder groups, and an
- Organizational logo and an identity branding to build marketplace and customer recognition.
Results
Project is on-going at this time - January 2004
Moreover, we have sustained our customer relationships by being genuine in our dealings, committed to their outcomes and professional in our approach
Bernard E. Robinson
