The growth matrix: Bridging the gap between employee and customer satisfaction

The link between customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) is undeniable.

Just consider:

●????? Businesses excelling in both CX and EX see almost double the annual growth rates* of low-scoring companies.

●????? These companies can also charge a premium of up to 16%* for their products and services.

●????? Each one-star uplift in a company’s Glassdoor rating can lead to a 1.3-point increase in customer satisfaction*.

We’ve been hearing about this for years.

What has become clear to us in the work we do with our clients is that it is very hard to achieve an excellent customer experience without a happy and engaged work force.?

Here are 3 tips to consider when making sure your business is underpinned with a strong employee experience.

#1: Looking at the CX and EX side by side

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It can be an incredibly powerful move to run a customer satisfaction survey, such as TRR (The Referral Rating)?, alongside an employee engagement one as it reveals:

●????? How well aligned your CX ratings and EX ratings are

●????? What helps and blocks employees on the path to delivering a great CX

●????? How staff perceive their work environment overall

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More than that, this dual focus provides a comparative view of:

●????? Dominating narratives on both sides and how they impact the business relationship and customer satisfaction

●????? Misalignment in perceived priorities, internally and externally

●????? How well CX strategy is reflected in operational setup and team management

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By putting these two pillars side by side, a business can gain a holistic view of what helps and blocks its ability to leverage the full potential of business relationships. And how best to move forward.

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#2: Building operations that drive better EX

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Here’s another reason why staff engagement surveys are so valuable in customer relationship management:

Employees tend to have the best insight and ideas for improving the CX as well as general business performance.

Every time we survey a customer’s employees, we see them call out the very things that are the biggest blockers to healthy customer relationships?, such as the need for:

●????? Leadership that sets clear goals and priorities

●????? Clearly defined roles and responsibilities

●????? Better systems, processes, and automation

As mentioned in my last article, often business set up will be holding back successful strategic relationship management and while customers will provide some feedback on this in customer surveys, employees are best placed to give businesses the detail on what might be lacking here.

It is crucial that the business is set up in a way that promotes a seamless employee experience and frictionless customer management, including:

●????? Data and reporting

●????? Workflows, procedures and systems

●????? Internal communication as well as external communication flows (and tools)

●????? Employee evaluation criteria

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Think of it this way. If a product quality issue arises:

●????? Are the relevant processes and data in place to raise an alert and ensure seamless issue resolution?

●????? Are all relevant stakeholders informed without unnecessary delay?

●????? Do employees know who’s getting in touch with the customer and whether that’s done?

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It doesn’t matter how well-thought-out the customer relationship strategy is.?

If the operational setup creates complexity or uncertainty; if the elements crucial to a positive CX are not reflected in employee evaluations; if self-fulfilling negative beliefs block employees from performing at their best, it will never be more than a pipe dream.

#3: Building trust

In my last article, I discussed how key trust is as a lever to unlocking successful strategic relationships. Employee relationships are no different. If employees are empowered to have a voice and participate in feedback designed to improve the business and the way it works, and key decision makers are listening and responding to these opinions, then a culture of trust and mutual respect will foster. It is then much easier for teams to project positive views to the customer in their interactions with them.

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A great relationship can save a business during temporary operational shortcomings, but operational excellence will never save a bad relationship.

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Employees are at the very heart of this equation.

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Increasing employee satisfaction alone will lead to a notable rise in customer ratings.

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Looking to assess the state of your employee and customer relations? Drop me a line to find out what CRC can do for you.

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*Customer-Centric Culture Is More Than a Bumper Sticker (Gartner, 2023)

*Engaged Employees Create Better Customer Experiences (HBR, 2023)

*Happy Employees, Satisfied Customers: The Link Between Glassdoor Reviews & Customer Satisfaction (Glassdoor, 2019)

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