Re-energize Your Team

I often contemplate why some employees/companies succeed when others fail. When comparing them, some of which have seen great successes while others struggle to survive or just die, I am surprised at how similar they appear to be on paper. It is becoming more and more difficult for companies to separate themselves from their competition simply through advances in their products and harder for employees to know how to shine. Some companies, through innovation and a deep understanding of their industry (like Elo), can do this through the help of their superior products, but what about those that cannot?

How do they win the fight for customer loyalty?

How do employees find success?

How do you revive that which is almost dead? 

With improved corporate software, automated processes, huge databases of information, multiple forms of communication and increased product line quality, it is easy to understand why some businesses can overlook what may later become their Achilles heel; customer service (serving the customer). Often on paper it looks as if all the pieces are in place for great success. However, more and more companies continue to see profits drop, sales decrease or they flat out go under. At the same time, their employees struggle to develop and be successful. What many of these organizations failed to recognize is how deeply engrained superior customer service needs to be in every aspect of business for companies to not only succeed but to reach the pinnacle of their industries and for the employees to reach their full potential.    

Customer service is an overused term and often ignored. I prefer the term ‘serving the customer’ to properly express an organization’s and its employees’ role in the relationship. Many orgs treat it as if it is a single point within the company – simply just another department. Serving the customer is more than a telephone number and a voice on the other end. It must not only be adapted throughout the company but understood and embraced by all personnel. Each employee, whether they have direct contact with the customer or not, should understand their role in providing the highest level of service to the customer and how that positively affects the organization’s, as well as their own, future. It may be difficult to believe, but every position within a company serves the customer. Whether it’s on an assembly line, writing technical papers or a customer facing role, it all impacts the customer and their overall experience. Providing excellent experience though exceptional service should be in everything a company does at each point of contact –both internally and externally. Once the company takes on the understanding that their only reason for existing is to be a servant of the customer, good things begin to happen.

Companies that recognize this driving factor in business and can correctly address it in each and every aspect of the customer experience will find greater success than those that ignore it. Superior service of the customer will always equal a better customer experience and help produce increased sales, higher profits and additional repeat business. Also, a disregard for exceptional internal customer service will undoubtedly lead to a domino effect where eventually the external customer’s overall experience will fall short of what it could be, negatively affecting sales. 

Accomplishing this feat company-wide can be easier than you think. If each employee consistently recited the below guidelines and followed them (I have placed these on the wall in my office area) in all their interactions, the results would be immediate and positive for all involved:

Listening

I will always listen to our customers; recognizing the importance of truly hearing and validating any input they may share. This will be crucial in laying the groundwork for an exceptional experience and will create a level of trust that will continue throughout all future interactions.

Empathy

I will be empathetic towards the customer; realizing this is the key to understanding their motivations. By first seeing every issue from their perspective, I will be able to better serve them – but never being blind to my organization’s interest. I care and it will show.

 Communication

Through friendly, caring and proactive communication I will be turning what could be a troublesome problem into an enjoyable solution. My interactions will be conversations, not simply Q&A sessions, and the customer will recognize and appreciate the difference.

Action

I will be empowered to act to the benefit of the customer whenever possible and to do so quickly and efficiently. My actions will mirror our desire to consistently impress the customer with world-class service. Customer satisfaction and retention will be paramount, and my performance will always reflect this.

Assurance

From beginning to end, my words and actions will effectively communicate to the customer just how important they are to me and the organization. I will be appreciative, reassuring and polite – under all circumstances. It will be obvious to the customer that their success is my goal.

It is evident that ‘customer service’ still plays a very important role in any organization’s journey towards success. Each person within an organization has the ability to improve the overall customer experience, no matter their position within that company. The goal of providing exemplary service and experience to both internal and external customers should be ongoing and one of the highest priorities within any organization. With a few simple changes in each employee’s behavior, the results can be rewarding to not only the customer, but the employees - helping to ensure an organization’s long-term success.

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W.A.E.

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