Customer service key issue to wing leadership Published Aug. 13, 2008 By Senior Airman Eydie Sakura 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE. Mont. -- Malmstrom is about to jump start customer service into overdrive with the inception of a wing-wide Interactive Customer Evaluation Program called ICE. People living and working on base will see ICE appear throughout work centers beginning early September; allowing everyone an opportunity to critique and evaluate the type of customer service they receive at a specific location on base, whether it's exceptional or not-as-expected. "(Our wing commander) is passionate and sincere in affording every Airman the opportunity to be treated as a colonel," said Ed Lara, 341st Force Support Squadron management analyst. "In any organization, the commitment to customer service begins at the top, and leaders must buy into the fact that they not only need to meet their customer's expectations, but actually strive to exceed them, and our commander is taking the lead." The ICE Program has been around the Department of Defense since 2001, and currently 341st FSS facilities, such as the bowling alley, library, club, arts and crafts, and so forth, have used ICE for nearly four years, not to mention the 341st Communications Squadron, 341st Civil Engineer Squadron and former 341st Mission Support Squadron. ICE is basically a survey that can be filled out in a hard copy form or electronically via the Internet. "There are more than 50 locations on base in the Web listing and our Web master and administrators are working diligently to expand the list," Mr. Lara said. "Surveys are excellent tools to help us improve our services we provide to our customers." ICE launch sites Beginning in early September, people can actively participate in ICE at many customer service work areas via online or hard copy surveys. These areas include, but are not limited to: Education and training center; Airman Leadership School; First Term Airmen Center; Library; Military Personnel Element; Civilian Personnel Office; Manpower and Organization Office; Visitor Control Center; Legal Office; Family Practice; Personnel Reliability Program Office; Laboratory Services; Traffic Management Flight; Base chapel; Finance customer service center; Health and Wellness Center; Housing grounds services; and Housing maintenance. Training "We are offering an initial rollout of training tailored to the units' needs," said Randy Glick, 341st FSS management analyst. "We can 'train-the-trainer,' hold classes in the MPE training center in building 1191, or do on-site training at the unit." Customer contact training helps people identify a customer's needs; how to deal with irate customers; and how do educate customers about ICE and the survey system. The customer service representatives' responsibility is to make sure each person they support is aware of ICE and that a customer evaluation survey is requested from each person who received help or support. "We have numerous training aids available," Mr. Glick said. "We train our people on the technical aspect of their jobs, but we don't necessarily train them in customer contact skills." To find out more about customer contact training, call Randy Glick at 731-4216. Check out ICE at https://ice.disa.mil/.