May I Help You?
The Customer Experience
By John Lankford
Think about the last time you went into a major department store. From the greeter, to the floor sales staff, to the cashier, to the bagger – did everyone wearing the company logo on his vest also display a vested interest in the corporate mission? Or think about the last time you called a technical support hotline: were you treated like you were the only customer that operator was going to talk to that day? The last time you were in a casual restaurant, did the staff conspire to provide your table the freshest food and best service you've had all year?
A charmed life?
If these scenarios find you incredulous, that is significant in itself. Great customer service has become the exception instead of the rule. Here, then, is an unparalleled opportunity for your own business! No amount of technical expertise, boutique product line or marketing niche can keep your business afloat if customer service is lacking.
To master the delivery of an exceptional customer experience at every level of your organization would automatically set your company miles apart. You would join the ranks of the legendary service-oriented organizations. To achieve that standing, those companies have already mastered the following areas:
- Employee engagement
- Team performance
- Recruiting systems
- Hiring and selection
- Organizational communication
- Accountability/measurement
- Employee satisfaction
- Employee retention/turnover
- Developing future leaders
- Talent-promotion systems
- Employee training
- Management training
- Leadership development
- Strategic planning
- Systems/process improvement
- New employee orientation
It seems like a long list, and it is. However, when you start thinking like a world-class organization, the steps become more manageable. And the benefits go far beyond the obvious, as you will read about later. A business coach can be invaluable in the process, especially if this new focus represents a drastic shift from your company's long-standing philosophy.
Data driven
An important first step is company-wide evaluation. Many companies overestimate their current performance. In his book, “What's the Secret to Providing a World-Class Customer Experience,†John R. DiJulius III writes, “Only 8 percent of customers surveyed described their experience as superior. Yet, 80 percent of the companies surveyed believe that the service they provided was indeed superior.â€
Customer service and employee satisfaction go hand in hand. If you empower your staff to solve problems and own the corporate mission, they will be engaged at work and exhibit loyalty to your organization. A loyal employee wants the organization to succeed. This motivation translates into customer service and, therefore, customer loyalty – the holy grail.
In “Values Shift: The New Work Ethic & What it Means for Business,†John B. Izzo writes, “Research shows that highly engaged companies produce on average 29% more revenue, are 50% more likely to have above average customer loyalty and are 44% more like to turn above-average profits than companies with less engaged workforces.â€
Our strategic alliance partner’s employee engagement survey tool, which has recently received exclusive endorsement from the American Hospital Association, helps uncover weaknesses and opportunities.
Looming threat
Aside from the important intrinsic value of employment engagement, evaluation and team development can protect your organization against market caprices and even legislative factors. The United States Congress is currently revisiting the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which failed to garner support during its last session. The bill seeks to tip the scales toward collective bargaining activities and decrease a company's leverage in negotiating with employees. In cases where agreements cannot be reached, an arbitrator would step in to make decisions for the business.
If the specter of the EFCA sends chills down your spine, survey tools and coaching can help eliminate that boogie man. When you make a committed investment in your people, they have no reason to revolt. Strategic evaluation tools and qualified coaching will increase employee loyalty, which cannot help but to translate into market loyalty. You are impervious to all kinds of monsters.
Insurance gap
In your business, there are many types of insurance you need to keep up-to-date. Have you ever thought about customer service insurance? You've probably never heard of it before, but it's exactly what you get when you develop a solid company-wide strategy for evaluation and training. Measure employee engagement and you'll see the direct effect it exerts on customer satisfaction. Offer continuing leadership training and team development, and you've got employee engagement. You have people who take care of your general liability insurance. But do you have people who take care of your management training and survey tools?
Many managers are accustomed to thinking about customer service as common sense or a soft skill. However, when great customer service is the exception, how likely is your staff to have experienced it first-hand? With some effort and attention, and the help of a qualified business coach, you can assure the principles of great customer service become ingrained in every aspect of your business culture and operations.
About the Author
John Lankford was recognized as the 2007and 2008 Associate Business Coach of the Year in North America for ActionCOACH, Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2009 #1 Business Coaching franchise in the world for the seventh straight year. John was also recognized as the 2007 and 2008 Global Associate Coach of the Year. His business expertise as a partner of ActionCOACH Pinellas has been tapped by the New York Times and CBS. He is the author of Superstar for Life...Career Transitions. John’s keynote speaking has landed him on the elite team that trains and certifies the new Executive Coaches joining the worldwide ActionCOACH community. John was just named the Chief Executive Officer for the Innisbrook Leadership Institute.
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