How Reconnecting with Your Team Can Stop Customer Attrition

Recently, I had a conversation with a coaching client, a leader of a large sales company, who was concerned about rising customer attrition and the impact it was having on his team.

He shared that his team had been reading negative reviews and feedback from customers, and it was starting to affect their morale. They felt disconnected from their work, demotivated, and unsure how to turn things around.

He knew he needed to re-energize his team, and his first instinct was to create something fun to lift their spirits.

While creating a fun experience for the team can certainly help, I decided to dig deeper.

I asked him, "On a scale of 1 to 10, how well connected are you with your team?"

I wanted him to consider how well he truly knew his team members—how often they talked about things other than work, and most importantly, how much they knew about him. Did they really know him?

He paused and admitted that he would give it a 5 at best out of 10. This was a key moment.

We then discussed the importance of not just leading a team but being part of it. We explored ways he could engage with his team on a more personal level, breaking down the barriers that often exist between leaders and their teams.

The goal was to "humanize" himself, to share more about his own life—his failures, mistakes, joys, and struggles—so his team could see him as more than just their boss, but as a human being they could relate to.

The Power of Connection in Leadership

When leaders are disconnected from their teams, it’s not just internal morale that suffers—customer satisfaction and loyalty take a hit too.

Here’s why:

1. Building Trust Through Empathy: One of the biggest reasons customers leave is perceived indifference. If your team feels disconnected and unappreciated, this sentiment can easily bleed into their interactions with customers. When leaders take the time to connect with their teams on a human level, it builds trust and empathy, which translates into better customer service(Enabling Tomorrow? | StableLogic, Compel CEOs).
2. Engaging the Team Beyond Work: Leaders who only focus on work-related matters miss out on an opportunity to build deeper relationships with their team. By engaging in conversations about life outside of work, leaders can foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie, which is crucial for a motivated and cohesive team (The People Enablement Platform | Zavvy).
3. "Humanize" yourself: When leaders share their own vulnerabilities and challenges, it encourages the team to do the same. This openness can lead to stronger team bonds and a more supportive work environment where team members feel safe to express themselves and take initiative. This can ultimately lead to better performance and lower customer attrition(McKinsey & Company).

Steps to Reconnect and Revitalize Your Team

To address customer attrition, start by reconnecting with your team. Here’s how:

1. Make Time for Personal Connection: Dedicate time each week to check in with your team members on a personal level. Ask about their lives outside of work, their hobbies, and their families. Share your own experiences too. This will help build stronger, more personal relationships.
2. Be Transparent and Vulnerable: Don’t be afraid to share your own struggles and challenges with your team. Let them know that you’re human too, with your own set of highs and lows. This will help break down the barriers that often exist between leaders and their teams.
3. Encourage Open Dialogue: Create an environment where your team feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. Encourage them to voice their ideas and opinions, and take the time to listen—really listen. This will help build trust and a sense of ownership within the team.
4. Lead by Example: Show your team what it means to be connected and engaged. Be present in their lives, celebrate their successes, and support them through their challenges. When your team sees that you genuinely care, they’ll be more motivated to perform at their best, which will positively impact customer retention.

In the end, leadership isn’t just about driving results—it’s about building connections.

When you take the time to truly know your team, to engage with them on a human level, you create a work environment that’s not only more enjoyable but also more productive.

And when your team is engaged and motivated, your customers will feel the difference. So, take a moment to assess how well you really know your team.

The steps you take to reconnect with them could be the key to turning around customer attrition and driving long-term success.

Let me know your thoughts.

Until next time ???? and visit my website for more: www.giannicola.com

Roberto