One may ask, what makes two work environments so different even though it may be the same company? Most frequently the answer is management. Have you ever wondered why you may walk into a bank for instance and you have been treated so well that you look forward to going back there. On the other hand you may walk into the same bank, but a different branch and you feel as if the employees forced their smile or their thank you. Management is one of the most important factors in good customer service. Any business that has many competitors will try to focus most of their attention on customer service in an attempt to keep their customers or attract new ones. The only downfall to this is that employees will more than likely suffer as a result because all efforts have been poured into making customers happy. For a very competitive business, it is up to the manager to ensure that their employees practice excellent customer service, but it is crucial that the employee feels happy and willing to do it. If an employee feels really pressured at the job, and feels as if he/she is neglected then the ultimate goal will not be reached. If employees become disgruntled then they will most likely seek other jobs. High turnover rates are bad for a company, especially when customer service is the main focus. It is therefore equally important for managers and supervisors to focus not only on maintaining customers but also maintaining their employees. Surprisingly enough this policy is rarely practiced. Everyone is so busy at achieving certain goals and improving profit, somehow employees need get neglected. In my opinion, in order to have a very successful business and improve customer loyalty, it is very crucial to ensure that employees are happy with their job. An unhappy employee either directly or indirectly affects the customers, thus every effort should be made to ensure the loyalty of both customers and employees. As obvious as this may seem it is very common for management to focus only on bringing in new customers and increasing revenue. The following tips if followed should ensure a better environment for both customers and employees: 1. Ensure that all employees are treated with care and respect 2. Try to promote from within the company rather than making new hires 3. Promote deserving employees 4. Have customer appreciation days 5. Have employee appreciation days 6. If an employee went above and beyond his/her job and do something extra, ensure that he/she feels appreciated 7. Exceed (not meet) customers expectations 8. Make sure a customer feels as if all efforts are genuine and not only done because it is a job requirement 9. Try not to cross sell too much. Referencing other products and services is good marketing but this can also get a customer upset 10. Have ongoing training for employees about customer service If these tips are followed then it is beyond a doubt that the success of the business will be improved. These tips maybe hard to implement because of other factors but a good attempt should be made. |
