Dee Ann Turner, HPU Talent Acquisition Expert, Mentors HPU Students
From left, High Point University sophomore Sophia Cina co-moderates a panel discussion on “Differentiating Yourself and Standing Out” with Hall of Fame speaker Marilyn Sherman, HPU’s Personal Development Expert in Residence; Rhonda Butler, assistant professor of management and director of the Strickland Women’s L.I.F.T. Fellowship Program; Dee Ann Turner, HPU’s Talent Acquisition Expert in Residence and former Chick-fil-A vice president for talent and sustainability; and co-moderator HPU sophomore Olga Dumeh.
HIGH POINT, N.C., Nov. 2, 2023 – Dee Ann Turner, High Point University’s Talent Acquisition Expert in Residence and former Chick-fil-A vice president for talent and sustainability, recently returned to campus to speak to large groups of students, lead career counseling sessions and mentor students from various majors.
In addition to discussing extraordinary customer service standards with business and human relations majors, Turner joined Hall of Fame speaker Marilyn Sherman, HPU’s Personal Development Expert in Residence, for a panel discussion led by Rhonda Butler, assistant professor of management and director of the Strickland Women’s L.I.F.T. Fellowship Program.
Turner and Sherman answered questions during the panel discussion about how job candidates can differentiate themselves and stand out in positive ways. Turner noted the value of in-person connections and winning people over with competency. Just showing up early and following up with handwritten thank-you notes are ways to be seen as outstanding, both Turner and Sherman agreed.
“The most important decisions about you are made when you’re not in the room,” said Turner.
As CEO of Dee Ann Turner & Associates, LLC, and a bestselling author, Turner is an expert in understanding how employers identify and attract talent to help lead their organizations. Selected as Chick-fil-A’s first female officer in 2001, she was instrumental in building and growing Chick-fil-A’s well-known culture and talent systems before her retirement in 2018 after 33 years.
“While I did all of those things at Chick-fil-A, what I really enjoy is customer service,” said Turner. “We’re all in the customer service business, no matter what we do. Everybody’s in the people business, and every life does have a story.”
Great customer service starts with a company having a remarkable culture, selecting extraordinary talent and teaching that talent how to provide amazing customer experiences, said Turner, whose son graduated from HPU in 2016.
She asked students to list examples of good customer service. They recalled positive experiences, such as being greeted and remembered by name, getting a problem resolved or receiving a thank-you note. Turner shared stories and videos to illustrate similar good and bad customer service experiences she has encountered in her travels.
“The difference between a poor customer experience and an amazing customer experience is simply one employee who cares about the customer,” said Turner. “It starts with having the right mindset and the right person in place who will help you get the customer service you’re looking for.”
Turner said outstanding customer service requires the following principles:
- Treat everyone with honor, dignity and respect
- Wildly exceed customer expectations
- Make emotional connections with customers
- Risk breaking the rules by empowering employees to serve the customer
Henry Kent, a junior finance major from Duxbury, Massachusetts, said those principles were evident in the manner Turner interacted with students and circled the room to shake their hands.
“Her presentation was enjoyable because it wasn’t just her talking the entire time,” said Kent. “She asked us questions and it was interactive.”
Lauren Sanzone, a junior entrepreneurship major from Denville, New Jersey, agreed.
“She was good at making everyone in the audience feel valued,” said Sanzone. “She was very engaging.”
Kylie Adams, a junior entrepreneurship major from Burlington, North Carolina, learned more about how making connections with people can make a difference.
“As she said, one person can really change somebody else’s day,” said Adams. “That really goes a long way. You can share it with other people, and it just keeps growing from there.”