CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS

Standards for Written Communication

Formal written communication includes letters, faxes, memoranda, formal e-mail, customer service e-mail received through the County website inquiry page, newsletters, flyers, mass mailings, invitations, brochures, website, etc.  In general, all written communication must contain complete, accurate and precise information.  All written communication will be in a courteous tone that is respectful of the customers’ needs.  The following standards apply to written correspondence:

Correspondence and Other Written Communication

1. Format formal written correspondence to comply with OCE adopted standards established in the CECC Procedures Manual.

2. Edit correspondence and have it proofread by a second employee for factual, spelling and grammatical accuracy.

3. Write in a straightforward manner that can be easily understood by the average person, avoiding use of jargons and acronyms.

4. Include your contact information, including full name, title, department or office, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address for the customer to make follow-up inquiries.

5. Reply to written correspondence within ten (10) working days of receiving a customer’s inquiry.

6. For inquiries that cannot be fully responded to within ten (10) working days, acknowledge receipt of the customer’s inquiry within ten (10) working days, either by telephone or mail. Include in the acknowledgement the estimated time for a complete response.

7. Make arrangements with supervisors and coworkers to handle customer inquiries during your absences.

8. Implement the adopted standards for customers with limited English proficiency or physical or mental disabilities. (LEP and ADA training will be provided.)

Formal E-Mail

1. Respond to general customer e-mail within two (2) business days.

2. For email inquiries that cannot be fully responded to within two (2) business days, acknowledge receipt of the customer’s inquiry within two (2) days. This acknowledgement will include the estimated time for a complete response.

3. Include a signature block that lists the employee’s full name, title, department or office, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address.

4. Eliminate the use of background color or wallpaper in e-mail.

5. Eliminate the use of nonverbal symbols or signage in formal e-mail (e.g., ).

6. Send hyperlinks to web pages to minimize cutting and pasting large amount of data within e-mail correspondences whenever possible.

7. Check and discard e-mail regularly so your mailbox is never full and unable to accept additional e-mail.

8. When on leave, make arrangements to forward e-mail to supervisors or coworkers or to block e-mail so the senders receive an acknowledgement of the receipt of their e-mail and anticipated time for a response.

Fax Cover Sheets

Fax cover sheets must be legible and include the sender’s full name, title, department or office, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. 

CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS