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Create Happy and Customer-Centric Employees.

The Five Keys to Customer Experience - Part 4

By Jeannie Walters

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

Ask people about significant customer experiences, and chances are they will recount stories dealing with employees. These stories either praise the good work of empowered individuals who solved problems or condemn employees who were at best helpless, and at worst hostile.

Employing people who believe in the company, the product, the service and, most importantly, the customers, is powerful and crucial to on-going success.

When visiting Hawaii, my husband and I drove up to the Waimea Canyon for a scenic drive and hike. On the way there, we stopped at a tiny gas station, filled up the rental car and went into the microstore for some bottled water. I bought two bottles of water and still remember this as one of the best customer experiences I've ever had. When I walked in the store, the man behind the cash register and the woman stocking the shelves smiled at me and said "Aloha!" I was literally startled. This doesn't happen in convenience stores I've been in. When I made my purchase, the man behind the counter asked me if I needed anything else - like a free map? Perhaps directions? Any snacks for the road? He smiled the whole time, and was genuinely interested in making sure I had everything I need.

When I returned to the car, I said to my husband that every store clerk in Chicago should be sent to Hawaii for a lesson in treating customers well. Now, I know there are good people working in stores here in Chicago. But it's rare to find someone who is looking out for what customers need, happy to be helpful, and in general creating a great experience. In Hawaii, this isn't the rarity. It's the norm.

Sometimes a bad customer experience isn't quite as blatant as the drug store clerk who literally curses under her breath. Sometimes it's the more subtle acts of neglect we've all learned to put up with. Recently, I condensed some bank accounts. When I went in to close my account, I wrote my name in the sign-in book and took a seat. The personal banker saw me do this and then waited about 10 minutes to come to my aid. Instead of introducing herself to me, since I was the ONLY one waiting, she looked at the sign-in book and said in a 'your-turn-is-up-at-the-DMV' tone, 'Jeannie?' I informed her I was here to close an account. She nodded, asked for my ID, and then walked to her desk. I assumed she wanted me to follow, so I sat there while she typed away, not really acknowledging me. I was pretty shocked she never asked WHY I was closing the account. She also never smiled.

I realized she truly didn't care I was leaving as a customer, nor did she need to. She must not be evaluated on how many customers leave, but I bet she is evaluated on how many new ones she can get. What does she care if I leave? Nobody was the wiser that I was actually going from bank to bank to see which one cared enough to get my business.

Uninformed Employees = Angry Customers

It's kind of amazing how much we, as customers, have learned to put up with. It's just not worth the fight.

I can't remember the last time I went into the grocery store without waiting in a line. Usually, there are only two or three registers open, with lines curling into the aisles. Nobody offers to open up a new lane. A grocery store chain in Las Vegas called Lucky's used to have a rule called 'Three's a Crowd." Any time three people were in line, they would open a new lane. That was enough to earn my business when I lived there, because you knew they wouldn't waste your time.

Usually, employees don't have enough information or power to do their jobs well for the customer. We've all heard the laundry list of why they can't give us the discount we were promised; process our parking validation; find something special we're seeking; correct the inaccuracy on our billing statement. We know the quotes: "I'm just telling you what's on my computer screen." "I can't fix it. You'll have to call another number." "I don't know why so-and-so told you that. That's not how it works."

Suddenly, our problem is thrown back to us along with their problems. It's beyond frustrating.

Companies who empower their employees and keep their front-line force informed help foster real relationships between the company and their customers.

Employee Turnover = Profit Loss

More than one study has linked employee satisfaction rates to customer satisfaction rates. Wegman's, is an east coast grocery store chain that experiences significant growth each year. They put their employees first and they're proud of it. For instance, their employees are sent to Italy to learn about the cheese they sell. In turn, customers appreciate their knowledge. Customers are treated well and return in droves. Wegman's customers won't be wooed by the low-cost alternative or the latest fad. They have a relationship. That's loyalty. Since the employees are empowered to do their jobs well, they are loyal, too. And it all affects the bottom line. 70% of the reasons why customers leave companies stem from employee turnover issues. ("Linking Employee Loyalty with Customer Loyalty." TheWiseMarketer.com, August 2003)

Help Them Own It

Front-line employees are a wonderful resource for finding out about your customers. Yet employees aren't always included in decisions about the customers they know. One of the best things you can do for your business is to include employees in on new product or service developments, marketing initiatives, and more. Not only will your employees feel more valuable, but the invaluable knowledge you'll learn about your company, through them, will create a much richer experience for your customers.

Action Items:

Set your expectations.

Tell your employees you want proactive workers who serve customers. Help them feel empowered and ready to do what it takes to keep customers happy. Reward employees for how many customers they keep, not just how many they bring in.

Make sure your employees can provide customer feedback easily.

Create a 'hotline' for your employees to inform management of things they are hearing from customers. Problems can be avoided, new ideas can be cultivated, and both employees and customers will feel heard.

Train. Communicate. Then do it again.

It's not about reading the employee manual on the first day. It's about continuous, ongoing, and engaging training to help employees deliver the kind of experience customers will appreciate. Communicate constantly in ways that are relevant to what your employees do for your customers every day.

Write the script, then toss it out.

Call centers are a huge source of frustration. Write a better script, but make sure your employees know when to avoid the scripted lingo and just solve the problem.

Employees are the central link to your customers. They can make or break your customer's perception in just one interaction. Make sure your employees know that they are empowered and appreciated, and they will create meaningful relationships with your customers.

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