Customer Service in certain healthcare settings is very different than in commercial or home based businesses.  It can be particularly challenging and rewarding in a Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH).  Here patient turnover is very low and we work with patients and their families for extended periods of time.  Janitors and Supervisors get to know them all very well and provide customer service daily that they are not even aware of and it can be quite personal for both sides.

Beyond providing a clean and sanitary environment, janitors are working in patient rooms or common areas while occupied.  They are usually on a first name basis with one another and socialization with the patient becomes an important part of the patients' daily interactions.  Here, the janitor is sometimes the only non-medical staff they see all day and the patients look forward to their time to have regular conversations or talk about the weather.  They spend a good portion of each day listening to patients, their families, and other staff.  They adapt to solve problems quickly so the patient is always prioritized.  

Sometimes the best customer service is the kind that we are unaware we give.  It naturally happens skills such as L.A.S.T. and/or S.E.C. are applied easily without a thought.