2007 Annual Meeting

Running a University is like Running a Restaurant

Presenter: Brandy Cartmell, Director/Registrar of Academic Records, University of Tennessee at Martin

Recorder: Stacy Tramel, Associate Registrar, Milligan College

Having recently opened a restaurant, Ms. Cartmell gave an entertaining and thought-provoking account of the similarities between serving students in a Registrar’s Office and serving customers in a restaurant. In both venues, keeping customers happy is essential to success. The following seven rules may be applied to office and restaurant management: 1) Welcome customers, creating a good impression; 2) Listen well to those you serve, accurately interpreting spoken comments and body language; 3) Anticipate needs before they are voiced, serving in a proactive way; 4) Learn from mistakes, apologizing for errors and correcting them in future interactions; 5) Connect with customers, eliminating worries and swallowing pride when necessary; 6) Meet deadlines when possible, letting others know in advance when deadlines will not be met; and 7) End on a good note, providing a memorable experience that will leave the customer feeling satisfied.

Back to Annual Meeting Session Summaries