Customer Service Week 2022: Celebrate Service
NYCHA departments and developments commemorated Customer Service Week 2022 from October 17 to October 21 by hosting communal activities in tribute to the theme of “Celebrate Service.” Below are some highlights of how NYCHA colleagues spent the week visiting developments, reviewing best practices, interacting with their teams, and motivating each other as the Authority demonstrated its commitment to providing great customer service.
The week provided the opportunity for department leaders to recognize staff members’ energy, enthusiasm, and teamwork – positive attributes that make a difference for residents each day while supporting the Authority’s mission. As an expression of thanks for their dedicated service, NYCHA’s thousands of employees were each provided with certificates of appreciation as well as complimentary NYCHA “swag” items (including a pocket flashlight and reusable shopping bag).
Senior staff site visits
During the week, NYCHA senior staff conducted on-site walkthroughs at developments as part of an effort to recognize property management staff, visit with employees on the job, and strengthen on-the-ground relationships with residents.
In a site visit to Manhattan’s Douglass Houses, Linda Zhang, Deputy Director of Accounts Payable & Utility Management, said she spent a “meaningful morning” showing appreciation to colleagues working on the front line.
After visiting Richmond Terrace in Staten Island, George Adames, Deputy Director for Building Systems Safety in the Environmental Health and Safety Department (EHS), said staff were excited to meet with EHS representatives and receive recognition for helping to improve NYCHA services for residents.
Senior Director for Performance Tracking and Analytics Sybille Louis noted that she met with both office and maintenance staff during a visit to South Jamaica Houses in Queens, where she observed good relationships among employees on site. She also highlighted that staff have received positive feedback from residents regarding NYCHA’s Work Order Reform program, touting the ability to schedule all their work orders through one phone call.
Team festivities
Several departments celebrated teamwork during Customer Service Week by arranging lunchtime gatherings and group projects on the daily themes such as mentorship, inclusion, and wellness. Staff from the newly restructured Department of Resident Services, Partnerships, and Initiatives represented their own theme of “Bee-Cause You Are Essential,” dressing in yellow and black, and held virtual get-togethers where colleagues across the city shared stories of what customer service means to them. Team members also created a photo slideshow to record their experience.
EHS embraced the “Celebrate Service” theme with several activities that started conversations and led to a better understanding of team members’ hobbies, interests, and cultures. On “Festive Friday,” EHS staff gathered for a breakfast where they celebrated the Fire Safety Oversight Team (FSOT) as the department’s customer service all-star team winner. The FSOT was recently selected by the Mayor’s Office of Operations as a winner of this year’s Excellence in Customer Service Award.
Featured photo caption: Employees show their NYCHA pride during Customer Service Week at Brooklyn’s Wyckoff Gardens.
