The city of Salisbury honored 16 employees who provided the best customer service in 2010.
Customer service has been a top priority for the city since 2006, when City Council chose it as the No. 1 goal. Council has continued to name customer service as a goal each year.
At the third annual Keys to Excellence Customer Service Luncheon Wednesday at City Hall, two employees received top honors. Craig Powers, who works in the cityís engineering division, and Donnie Beacham, an employee with Salisbury-Rowan Utilities, were named the gold and silver award recipients.
Calling the 16 award winners ěchampions of the city,î City Manager David Treme said serving is what the job is all about.
ěAs a city government, we are basically here to serve our citizens,î Treme said. ěWe love the opportunity to serve each and every one.î
Salisbury created a Customer Service Design Team in 2005 to implement a citywide customer service initiative, which has been recognized across the state and made the cover of Public Management, the magazine of the International City/County Managers Association.
Representatives from each city department serve on the design team. Every quarter, the teamís Incentives Committee reviews nominations for customer service and names four city workers as bronze winners.
Once a year, the entire team reviews the customer service stories of all bronze winners to choose the gold and silver winners.
ěCustomer service has become our primary principle in the way we do business,î said Joe Eagle, a human resources analyst who facilitates the design team. ěOne of the truths weíve learned over the past few years is that the provision of exceptional service is a goal. Itís a journey or a process, and not just a destination.î
Anyone can nominate a city employee for a customer service award. Forms are available on the cityís website at www.salisburync.gov under ěhighlights.î Click the link ěcity employee award nomination form.î
In addition to Beacham and Powers, winners included:
Becky Albrecht and Jason Parks with Technology Services; James Woods with the Street Department; Joseph Shannon with the Transit Department; Terry Penley with Town Creek WWTP; Vickie Eddleman with LM&D Engineering; Donovan Hamm with Code Services; Robbie Holshouser with Facilities Management; Gene Nance with the Fleet Department; George McLaughlin with the Solid Waste Division; Corey Brooks with the Police Department; Tammy File with the Fire Department; Kathryn Clifton with GIS Division; and Richard Kelly with Risk Management.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.