Leaders across Business and Operations gathered once again this past fall for the bi-annual Business and Operations Leadership Meeting. Each meeting focuses on by a different office within B&O, sharing experiences and insights they have learned working in their field. At the helm this time was Matthew Stern and his team from the Office of Business, Hospitality and Auxiliary Services (BHAS).
The largest of the seven offices under the B&O umbrella, BHAS includes housing and dining, Panther Central, transportation and mobility, hospitality services, and shipping—just to name a few!
Sterne shared the unifying goals and strategies implemented across the diverse departments that include creating meaningful service experiences and the importance of building the right work culture.
BHAS has thousands of interactions every day. That means there are thousands of opportunities to elevate a person’s interaction and relationship with Pitt. The BHAS team strives to go beyond meeting a client’s basic needs and seeks to transform every day processes into experiences that build positive emotional connections.
Service Pyramid from What Customers Really Want by Scott McKain
In order to successfully elevate client experiences, the right culture is critical. Sterne and his leadership team focus on building a desired culture from the very beginning; reflecting on what behaviors encompass that culture. Finding the right people is only the start of building a strong team. BHAS utilizes an in-depth onboarding program along with continuing development and training opportunities for all staff. By elevating the importance of thorough and continuing training, communication, and care for all staff, positive emotional connections are fostered within teams—fueling positive results.
In true Pitt spirit, the BHAS team is always reflecting on their work and how they can raise the bar even higher. Utilizing various surveys ranging from employee engagement to student satisfaction, leaders are able to make data driven decisions.
Breakout discussion questions had attendees discussing who their customers are and how these principals could apply to their own units. The meeting concluded with time dedicated to socializing over refreshments to continue building positive emotional experiences across all seven Business and Operations units.