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Customer service in a small town

By Becky McCray

Customer service is just as important to the small town government as to the small town business. John Fiscus, a former mayor of Waynoka, Oklahoma, population 993, wrote this statement:

The City of Waynoka is committed to its mission of meeting the needs of our citizens, both now and in the future. We want to become better at what we are here for, serving and meeting your needs. City Hall doesn’t exist in and of itself and to meet its own needs. How to better serve and meet the needs of each and every member of our community is what we want our council and employees to focus on. And to help us keep focused, we’ve recently develop a long term plan in one, five and ten year increments dealing with all the areas of service that are provided and places that are supported and maintained. This continuing effort will only be a part of all we do to help build a better community.

But providing quality services and good employees at City Hall doesn’t make a better community and place to live. It takes more. Community building takes a unified effort from many groups to be successful. Yes, groups of people, not individuals. And yes, unified, working together.

Those words remain on the city website, though attributed to the current mayor.

The attitude of customer service belongs in every small town government, every organization, every small business, and every big business. This statement goes further, making the connection to the larger goal of community building. Have you considered how your organization plays a role in building your community?

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About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
  • Downtown is your town’s core: How to make your case - February 22, 2021
  • Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns - December 10, 2020
  • In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
  • Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
  • How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
  • The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
  • Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
  • Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
  • Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
  • Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020

December 1, 2007 Filed Under: customer service

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