Seeking Customer Satisfaction

It is sometimes dangerous in education circles to talk about customer service. I often hear that we can't do that because there is uncertainty about who the customer is. Is the customer the students? The parents of our students? Or is the customer the taxpayers?

To which I say: Yes . The goal should be to treat all of them, particularly parents, as valued customers.

In Rochester, N.Y., we're trying to make sure we keep the customer in mind by acting as if our job depends on their...