Bringing Service Excellence to Life

While the Service Excellence Initiative is new to the Rollins campus, the concept of providing great service is not. In fact, if you ask Bookmark Café’s Barbara Burke, excellent service is something she’s been focused on since she started working here 11 years ago. Remembering people’s orders, going out of her way to make someone’s day, and taking the time to connect with students are just a few of the reasons why Barbara has become somewhat of a service legend here at Rollins.

There are many Rollins employees who walk the talk every day—each of them embodying the philosophy of service excellence in their own special way. In an effort to bring the Initiative to life, the Service Excellence Team recently nominated six of these service role models as the inaugural Service Excellence Ambassadors. Approved by their supervisors, these staff members embrace and exemplify the four cornerstones—Responsive, Respectful, Competent and Collaborative. They will help share the Initiative’s progress with the Rollins community.

By accepting the appointment as Service Excellence Ambassador, Barbara Burke, Doc Gallup, Olivia Horn, Chris McClure, Heidi Limongi and Rachel Luce-Hitt have agreed to participate in a variety of events and activities. They will be on the lookout for Service Excellence Champions and will help share the great work of those kindred Rollins who are living the Service Excellence philosophy. The Ambassadors will be the eyes and ears for departments on campus and throughout the Rollins community.

Barbara, Doc, Olivia, Chris, Heidi and Rachel will share their experiences on Service Scoop, the Service Excellence blog. Contact them when you see Service Excellence at work in your corner of the campus. And keep an eye out for the Champions—more familiar faces helping Rollins continue its commitment to building an enduring culture of exceptional service.

Meet the Service Excellence Ambassadors

Barbara Burke  “Barbara Burke creates service ‘wows’ for the Rollins community,” shared Gerard Short, Dining Services director and Burke’s supervisor. “Attend a Sunday Brunch and you will see the service standards hard at work...responsive, respectful, collaborative, competent...they are who she is.” Thinking outside of the box and coming up with ideas to make things better is an everyday activity for Barbara who’ll see the Rollins tea, an initiative she collaborated on, come to fruition in the spring of 2011.

Doc Gallup It’s no surprise to many that Post Office Supervisor Doc Gallup has also been appointed. Anyone who’s spent five minutes with this cheerful guy will agree that his lighthearted nature is simply contagious. “I’ve made it my mission to eliminate the stereotypical post office experience and have tried to create something unexpected for everyone we serve,” Gallup said. The cork board in the post office filled with thank you cards proving that strategy is working.

Chris McClure Athletics Operations Manager Chris McClure was thrilled to be asked to serve as a Service Excellence Ambassador and supports the initiative 100 percent. “This program is taking everyone’s passion for excellence and giving it a common language,” McClure expressed. “It’s affirming the good work that each of us is doing.” Director of Athletics Pennie Parker, McClure’s supervisor, is highly supportive of McClure’s appointment, saying: “Chris embodies service excellence by always providing our customers with a quality experience. I believe Chris was nominated because people have noticed his tireless enthusiasm for Rollins and his can-do attitude.”

Heidi Limongi Affectionately known as the “Rolli-Llama,” Residential Life Administrative & Operations Assistant Heidi Limongi’s reputation for extraordinary service is legendary. With her dazzling smile and quick wit, Limongi seamlessly and jubilantly supports a staff of 60 and oversees housing assignments for 1,200 students in 18 residential buildings. Service Excellence has lived in her department for years, but called by a different name. “We call it ‘One Plus:’ doing your job plus a little bit extra,” Limongi shared. In fact, anyone caught exemplifying the “One Plus” philosophy gets to hang on to “frogger,” the stuffed frog that serves as her office’s mascot for great service and a winning attitude.

Rachel Luce-Hitt Over at the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), Rachel Luce-Hitt, assistant director, oversees OMA’s 18 student organizations, acting as an extra adviser and providing general mentoring and leadership skills. Director of Multicultural Affairs Mahjabeen Rafiuddin attributes Luce-Hitt’s appointment as a Service Excellence ambassador to her respectful and responsive character. “Rachel always goes the extra mile to assist and support OMA's goals. You will always hear her say, ‘let me see what I can do to help.’  I am so glad she is our front line and face, always courteous with a smile and exuding compassion.”