How to Deliver Exceptional Transition Support Services
The importance of care, expertise, and innovation
By: Paul Messier
The transition from military service to civilian life is the final phase of the military lifecycle. Transition encompasses a comprehensive range of mission-essential tasks performed by highly trained and experienced transition specialists who serve as both subject matter experts and professional customer service representatives. The process can be overwhelming and stressful for the transitioning Service member, and in a time when automation and depersonalization reign supreme, we believe delivering personal and compassionate services to Soldiers and their families is the most successful way to ease the transition. Here are some best practices for delivering exceptional transition support services.
Provide Customized Care
Setting a benchmark for performance excellence and customer satisfaction will earn a reputation among the finest military Human Resources service activities. Successful transitions are largely attributed to disciplined execution and commitment to customer service. Treat customers with care, compassion, and dignity, processing them quickly and efficiently in a relaxed atmosphere. Address the individual needs of each transitioning military member and deliver world-class customer service that leaves a favorable, long-lasting impression in the hearts and minds of transitioning Soldiers and family members.
Be an Expert
There are many nuances and administrative requirements during the transition process, and it is extremely important that staff understand and adequately communicate all options and required actions to the transitioning Soldiers. Staff should conduct quarterly pre-retirement briefings, assist with the preparation of the retirement application and submission to approval authorities, and track the status of each action through the approval process. Ensure transition specialists are trained and certified to deliver one-on-one counseling to all retiring Soldiers and their spouses, as appropriate. It’s also extremely beneficial to perform cost comparisons related to the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and establish necessary retiree accounts. This in-depth assistance goes a long way to ease the anxiety of the Service member and create a more positive transition experience.
Offer Ongoing Support
Your staff’s institutional knowledge and technical expertise are vital to the assured delivery of continuing, high-quality transition processing services to Soldiers and their family members. Actively engage in solution sessions with your customers to facilitate positive transition activities, such as IT systems transformation. Consider providing live operational feedback on known issues, including recommendations for corrective solutions to close systems gaps. Engage in intentional outreach to unit-level HR professionals in each military community to provide functional training and assistance. Create user forums that encourage continuous learning, address concerns, and facilitate knowledge transfer.
Creating and sustaining a team that delivers world-class customer service is no easy feat, but we’ve found that if you keep the mission and the Service members at the focus, an exceptional Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPAR) is not far behind.
Paul Messier is the Senior Director of the Human Readiness Division at Magellan Federal. He is the original solution architect who pioneered the first-ever contract-based OCONUS Transition Centers in Europe and Korea in 1995 under a National Performance Review Government Reinvention Laboratory initiative. He is a retired U.S. Army officer who has provided corporate supervision of the contracted Transition Centers in Europe for 29 consecutive years. He is married and resides in Seattle, Washington, and has two children and three grandchildren. He enjoys working around the house and his hobbies include photography and following college and professional sports. .