We all come across great
customer service people when we are shopping or talking to a business in person
or on the phone. They are a real treat
to deal with, and breath of fresh air.
They actually make your experience a positive one that reinforces our
decision to use that company in the first place. Unfortunately the opposite is also true. And
the result of poor customer service will often be that be we stop doing
business with that company. If you have
no choice but to use that company, all you can do is try to be patient, and get
through it as quickly as possible, and wait for the right opportunity to move
to a different company.
When you do get to
experience that right type of customer service do you ever take the time to ask
them if they ever receive some sort of on the spot recognition for their performance? Because I’ve been in this field for decades,
I’ve been asking that question for a long time and by far the answer is usually
“no!” While many say they do get some
kind of annual service award or bonus, it is rare for anyone to say that they
ever get a spontaneous on the spot recognition award.
Every business wants
their customers to have a great experience every time they deal with their
company. Large sums are spent on discovering and implementing the best customer
experience possible. Organizations
invest millions in building their customer engagement strategies, but rarely
invest in the simple day to day things that make those strategies work. If your
employees aren’t engaged and happy in their work, they won’t be able to (or
won’t want to) provide a fantastic experience for your customers
So
here is the challenge to business leaders. If you want to make
significant improvements to customer service, you’ll first need to focus more
on engaging your own workforce. It stands to reason that if there is any sort
of disconnect between how a company treats employees and how employees are
expected to treat customers, there is discontent that will not benefit anyone –
company, employee or customer!
Starbucks
is well known for its unique and generous employee perks, including health
insurance for part-time staff and free tuition for the entire workforce.
A customer study in 2014 showed that 87% of the company’s brand
affinity is driven by the way they treat employees, so prioritizing the needs
of its employees really helps Starbucks to build its brand and increase sales.
You invest millions on developing your customer
strategy, hiring and training the right employees and constant communication on
your company values. Don’t stop there.
Add committed short term recognition to ensure all of your investment makes
your employees want to take care of your customers.
