ENMU Training Students to be More Customer-Friendly

Date: 9/19/2002
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 505.562.2253
Reporter: Colleen Wright

PORTALES – Eastern New Mexico University is implementing Partners, a new training program for student workers to make them more well-rounded and customer friendly.

Partners is a two-part training session mandatory for ENMU student employees. The first session is a two-hour video pertaining to the workplace; the other is a workshop about each student's specific work area.

ENMU decided to have students attend these sessions to benefit Eastern and the students' professional future. Partners teaches students skills that will help them perform their jobs more efficiently. Skills include business etiquette, teamwork, listening skills, dealing with sexual harassment, going the extra mile, etc.

"I was very impressed with the Partners workshop," said Jill Butler, senior communications disorders major from Odessa, Texas. "I did not want to go at first, but after attending I felt that it was very worthwhile. I learned several things about customer service that I had never thought about before."

Britt Hochhausler, a senior communications major from Albuquerque, said, "Partners turned out to be very beneficial. "There were things I was doing wrong within my job that I was not even aware of," she admitted. "I think the program will make Eastern's student workers a lot more aware of and skilled at their work responsibilities."

"Eastern students will come out of college with not only a four year degree, but additional professional training through Partners," said Ty Walker, director of Counseling and Career Services. "The sessions help make the students more well-rounded by teaching them abilities that not only will help them with their present jobs, but with their future careers."

Customer Shane Brown cannot seem to get the attention of these two student workers before they received their "Partners" training.  (photo by Richard Salas)

After their "Partners" training, (L-R) Jill Butler and Brit Hochhausler (who no longer mind being identified) realize that the customer comes before their catching-up on the latest in their boyfriend wars.
(photo by Richard Salas)