Service Hero- BWH Bulletin - For and about the People of Brigham and Women's Hospital
Service Hero- BWH Bulletin - For and about the People of Brigham and Women's Hospital
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May 4, 2001
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In This Issue:
ASCEND, At It Again
You Spoke, We’re Acting
Service Hero
Celebrating the Givers
Mother’s Day
5 Digit Dialing System Q & A
Partners Town Meeting
Fitcorp News
Making Work Work for You:
Customer Service is Dottin’s Top Priority When people call BWH between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. on the weekend, Sam Dottin, weekend night page operator, is usually the first person they hear. “The first contact a customer has with an organization reflects a lot about that organization, so it’s important to give a good first impression to whoever calls the hospital,” said Dottin. “One of the most important parts of my job is delivering quality customer service.” Dottin, who is this month’s Service Hero, works alone directing calls throughout the paging system every weekend night. In addition to helping patients reach the correct numbers and signing on or off staff members’ pagers, he greets everyone he speaks to on his shift with courtesy, efficiency and an endless supply of patience. A BWH employee from 1972-83 and since 1994, Dottin has contributed his customer service skills to several departments, including Transport Services, Environmental Services, Telecommunications and the Mailroom. In addition to his weekend position at BWH, he works as the communications manager of a non-profit organization in Cambridge, where he works full-time, Monday through Friday. “I’m a seven-day-work-week person,” said Dottin. Working the night shift can be draining for all employees, but Dottin does whatever he can to keep both internal and external callers in a good mood. “By my shift, employees have already had a long day, so I do whatever I can to lighten the atmosphere and make things as easy as possible for the night shift employees. When I come in, I feel it’s my job to help them out in any way I can, even if that means just having a pleasant voice on the phone.” “Sam is always friendly, polite and informative to co-workers and management,” said Carolyn Thompson, supervisor, Information Systems. “He has developed great relationships with the people who work the weekend night shift. He goes the extra mile to figure out if there has been a change in a schedule, or to whom a patient calling should speak. Sam helps—that’s what makes him shine.” “There’s nothing more reassuring than hearing Sam’s basso profundo on the other end of the line,” said Paul Farmer, MD, Infectious Disease. “No matter how busy he is, no matter how long his shift, Sam always has a kind word to spare. A surgeon friend of mine recently noted that Sam ‘is the anchor whenever things threaten to come unmoored’ Sam’s perfect mix of gravity, thoughtfulness and humor is a great boon during the night shift. I was delighted to learn just how long he’s been at BWH, since that means that he’s been doling out kindness to patients and to their doctors for decades.”