Customer Care Standards

In January of 2022, as part of a proactive effort  to create a more positive work environment, advance a public service culture, enhance accountability, and provide exceptional service to those doing business with Nassau County, the County Manager's Office introduced the Customer Care Standards. These standards were created to foster both internal and external relationships in the workplace. By amending Section 2 of the Nassau County Employee Policies & Procedures Manual, Standards of Conduct, the policy was made effective.

We provide exceptional (internal and external) customer care by…

Providing Same Day Response: Resolving an issue or completing a request is seldom accomplished in just a day, but striving to acknowledge the request the day it is received provides “same day response” and exemplary service.

Knowing First Impressions Matter: Our professionalism is judged based on appearance, attitude, manners, knowledge, and abilities. It is a package; we risk making a bad impression if we fail on even one count.

Ensuring a Positive Experience: A negative attitude affects service quality and morale. We resolve to stay positive because we know our approach dramatically affects our customers’ and coworkers’ experience.

Asking and Listening: We never assume to know what our customers need. Good questions evoke good answers, but only if we listen. Resolving to not interrupt, we exercise patience and we pay attention.

Connecting: We make eye contact, smile, and acknowledge every customer. When speaking to a customer, we address them by name using formal address (e.g, Mr. or Ms.), and let them decide if we’re on a first name basis.

Respecting Our Customers’ Concerns: To some, government can seem like a complex bureaucracy. We put a human face on the customer’s dealings with our City. We work to put our customers at ease and to earn their trust.

Treating Our Customers Like They Have a Choice: Customers of government agencies often do not choose to do business with us, they have to. We meet this challenge by providing exceptional service.

Remembering Who We Work For: It may not always be possible to say “yes” but our customers and co-workers must know that we have done our best to help them accomplish their goal.

Knowing Our Business: To provide accurate information, we must know our jobs and have a thorough understanding of agency processes. Providing accurate information is critical; to do so, we work with staff, consult supervisors, conduct research, and keep up-to-date with industry best practices.

Understanding the Difference Between Fast and Efficient Service: We use knowledge, skills, and resources to respect our customers’ time, but we never rush – it is impolite and it dramatically impacts the relationship and the outcome.

Questioning the Status Quo: We do not do things the same old way just because that is “how we’ve always done it.” We were hired to use our experience and skills to improve public service – and we take the process improvement challenge to heart.

Keeping Our Word: We manage expectations by setting reasonable goals. Giving careful thought to timelines, we always remember that our word is our bond as we promote honesty, responsibility, and accountability.

Treating Customers Like People, Not Footballs: Customers notice how many interactions are required to get the answers they need. If we need to hand off a customer, it should be to the right person, and that person should be provided with the pertinent facts to ensure a seamless transition.

Encouraging Feedback: Comments, suggestions, and criticism help us measure our success and promote improvement. We demonstrate commitment to our customers by asking how we can do better.

Saying "Thank You": Technical knowledge simply isn’t enough; our careers and livelihood depend on our success in providing exceptional customer care. At every opportunity, we show sincere care, compassion, gratitude and appreciation. We go above and beyond to provide “service that soars.”

Employee Posters

Following the policy amendment and establishment, a request was made to all departments to submit nominations for employees that exemplified these standards and deserved recognition for their hard work and dedication to Nassau County as a whole. Nominations were taken in fifteen (15) categories derived from the Care Standards:

In select categories, multiple nominations were made resulting in more than one individual representing that standard. Framed posters will be distributed and displayed in various departments and facilities in the County to display the excellence in Customer Care Standards set forth by employees.