The Forgotten Employee

Billions of advertising dollars are spent annually by companies telling you to use their products or services and then often rely on their lowest paid employee segment to carry out that customer service promise.  Customer facing employees are often the lowest paid employees in that organization.  Does that make sense?

When engaging with a company we react first to the employee we are dealing with, whether in person or on the phone.  To us that person is your company, and we will consider how we are treated as a reflection on your company, for good or bad.

For many reasons, primarily competitiveness, most companies can’t afford to pay higher wages to these entry level employees.  Companies seem to have ignored the importance of these positions in determining employee value.  When establishing pay scales they consider education, experience and competitive survey data.  It would seem that the fact that these employees also have the power of gaining or losing customers is lost on management. 

Some would argue that these employees have a greater impact on customer good will and retention than managers. Interestingly, studies have shown that having a pleasant experience when dealing with a company often outweighs price considerations and marketing glitz. 

This is not a forum to debate the pros and cons of the minimum wage.  It doesn’t mean that

you should pay more to these employees than the marketplace suggests, but it is in your best interest ensure that they're fairly treated. 

As a provider of employee recognition systems, we can attest that well placed, consistent and continuous employee recognition can positively affect the customer service levels of these employees.

Use non-cash awards to build on the attitudes and confidence of these employees. Attitude is just as critical in these positions as education and experience. The awards can be diminimous in nature but will be profound in long term appreciation. 

Use them to build on the upward opportunities for higher performing employees, connecting the recognized performance to future promotion.

And, make sure you listen to them and rewarding them for their suggestions for improvements in your operation, even new products and services. 

Remember that each contact between your employees and customers reinforces your financial and long term impact in the marketplace. 

 For more information on Ultimate Choice Inc.’s products or services or other white papers please contact us at Ultimatechoiceinfo@cox.net