Clients Served
Department of Housing Preservation and Development, City of New York (HPD)
HPD promotes the quality and affordability of the city's housing and the strength and diversity of its many neighborhoods. HPD’s staff and management help in its efforts to preserve affordable housing by working with non-profits to acquire buildings and maintain affordability, provide tax exemptions and homeowner repair loans, energy-efficiency updates, and more.
To further enhance HPD’s management capabilities to successfully meet its challenges SMLR implementated a Management Performance Process. Its overall goal is to provide a “…continuous process that uses ongoing communication and employee engagement to promote professional development, productivity and healthy partnerships between staff and management.”
Department for the Aging, City of New York (DFTA)
DFTA is committed to the well-being of more than 1.6 million older adults in the City of New York. DFTA’s mission is to, “… eliminate ageism and ensure the dignity and quality of life of diverse older adults.” To accomplish these goals DFTA partners “…with hundreds of community-based organizations to provide services through senior centers, naturally occurring retirement communities, case-management and home-care agencies, home-delivered meal programs, mental health and friendly visiting programs, and much more in each borough.”
To reinforce DFTA’s mission and further enhance the skills and capabilities of the DFTA Supervisory & Admin teams, SMLR developed and implemented a series of development workshops and webinars for their Supervisory Learning Community and Admin Academy.
City University of New York (CUNY) Colleges and Professional Schools
CUNY, “…spans 25 campuses across the city’s five boroughs providing exceptional access for high school graduates, high academic quality, numerous programs to support student completion and deep connections with important industries for career success.” The Shields Mas Learning Resources, Inc. (SMLR, Inc.), team has a proven track record in assessing, developing and enhancing the skills and capabilities of its administrative staff and management in customer service and managing interpersonal relationships for CUNY’s Colleges and Professional Schools.
Since 2010 the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) has had over 1,000 of its administration – from the College President to the frontline staff – participate in the Dynamic Customer Service and Managing & Coaching Customer Service programs.
In addition to BMCC, we have worked with Brooklyn College, CUNY Central Office, LaGuardia Community College, Queensborough Community College, York College and most recently CUNY School of Law.
The City of New York
The challenge for the City of New York was to show its taxpaying customers that they are being responsive to their needs. At the same time, the challenge for frontline staff, supervisors and managers was to manage customers respectfully and effectively. To answer these challenges, SMLR has, since 1995, developed and implemented customer service workshops for agencies that include: DFTA, DOE, DOHMH, DOT, DEP, FDNY, FISA, HPD, Mayors Office of Contracts, NYC Comptroller’s Office. These customized workshops focused on reinforcing the vital role City Agency employees have in providing critical services. It also provided participants with skills, knowledge, and mindset to more effectively manage customer service, reduce stress, and increase customer satisfaction.
LAW FIRMS
The partners and associates of one of America’s leading law firms required around the clock support from their receptionists, mail room, messengers and supply room staff. As part of their emphasis on continuous staff improvement, SMLR was selected to develop and facilitate a pilot workshop focused on the psychology and skills of Customer Service Excellence. The pilot was so well received that SMLR also implemented two additional staff enhancements: Telephone Techniques and Successful Workplace Communications.
financial services
SMLR implemented the Soaring with Excellence workshop with the Specialized Institutional Group (SIG) of Merrill Lynch. Participants from every level of SIG enthusiastically engaged in this workshop focusing on how to use teamwork and esprit de corps to accomplish aggressive goals.
pharmaceuticals and healthcare
More than 2,000 sales, operational, and senior staff of Pfizer Inc., nationwide and in Canada, attended the Eagles workshop. This powerful training experience, facilitated by Desander Mas, guided individuals toward excellence by helping them balance and integrate personal and professional goals. Key areas of the workshop included: greater appreciation of one's talents and abilities, increased self-confidence, reinforcement of the value of self-awareness, development of a personal vision blueprint, better understanding of the your fundamental purpose, and recognition of the impact you have in other people's lives.