Mentoring is Customer Service (August 2009)

MPRI’s philosophy of mentoring is based on the application of mentoring, not the traditional definition of mentoring.

Traditionally, mentoring is considered a senior-subordinate relationship where one with more experience uses that experience to guide and motivate one with lesser experience, thereby increasing the knowledge and capability of the subordinate.

While that definition partially describes MPRI’s mentoring approach, it doesn’t really do justice to the applied science of Mentoring. Mentoring with our customers and clients in such a way that the client and customers consider us a partner in their organization is our mentoring goal. In many respects this relates more to “customer service” than “senior-subordinate” relationships.

In this regard, mentoring is seen more as a service orientation, whereas customer service is viewed more as a product orientation. In reality, both deal with developing partnerships which are mutually beneficial to both MPRI and our client/customers.

These working partnerships, based on both customer service and mentoring, can be applied to either our work on a day-to-day basis or contract requirements.

By applying basic customer service skills to the Mentoring Process, we can create a more effective and productive result.

Customer service has been defined as an organization’s ability to supply their customers’ wants and needs. In both services and products we often have a clear understanding of what our customers want and need; however, there is more to this definition than meets the eye.

It is not enough to just “meet wants and needs,” it is equally important to ensure that the customer’s experience with MPRI is positive and continual. In this regard our goal should be to constantly and consistently exceed the customer’s expectations. Expectations may not be part of their wants and needs, as those are the basic demands that are required. Meeting expectations is the added value that is provided to the customer that results in the most important element of our business…continued business.

If we are going to consistently exceed customer expectations, we have to recognize that every aspect of our efforts has an impact on customer service, not just those that involve face-to-face contact.

Improving customer service is directly related to building a Mentoring Partnership, where the customer’s wants and needs are identified (assess), developing a course of action (plan) that allows us to help the client implement the plan (action) that meets their needs. Then, of course, our review (evaluate) is of how well we have helped the client attain their goals, tasks and missions.

Developing Mentoring Partnerships should be the goal of every member of the MPRI team. Customer Service combined with the Mentoring Process is an integral part of that goal.