The Connection between Your Employees and Your Customers

As a business, you crave happy customers. However, many businesses do not realize that it all starts with employee satisfaction. This is one of the most overlooked aspects of creating a loyal customer base.

An example of a company with both happy customers and happy employees is Starbucks. This coffee dominator has succeeded because of their superior customer and employee experience, which we’ve previously discussed. Customers want to feel appreciated when they interact with your business and so do your employees. Job security, fulfillment, and satisfaction are all ingredients that keep your turnover rate low and your customers happy. Simply put, your employees need to feel the same as your biggest customer; they need to be happy and satisfied. One popular bumper sticker phrase, “A Smile is Contagious”, is an appropriate way to explain the relationship between your employees and your customers.

Businesses are always looking for ways to move past their competition, but so many look past their employees. The first step to creating happy employees is with an employee engagement plan. It is important for employees to feel like their opinions are valued and heard. Most companies have grown too big to adequately survey every employee in person. However, you can discover how every employee feels, regardless of how big your company is, by using survey research. An employee engagement survey allows you to: a.) understand your current engagement levels; and b.) periodically resurvey which provides you with the information to evaluate your progress towards a fully engaged workforce, a la Zappos.

Because modern technology has turned many goods and services into commodities, the quality of the service your employees provide is of paramount importance. For instance, every major fast-food restaurant has a value menu and any retail store can offer a sale on Black Friday. Price is not the only differentiator. As a business, you need to ask yourself: How are we different? Why will customers choose us and stay loyal to us? Customers will keep coming back if they are continuously blown away by your customer service, even if your prices are slightly higher than your competitions.

Engaged employees are the employees who provide great customer service. Your customers want a positive, unique experience, and your employees are the people who can provide that experience. Experiences have progressively become the predominant economic offering. Think about why the most popular vacation destinations, such as Las Vegas and Walt Disney World, are held in such high regard. Building your business from the inside out, focusing on your employees, will always be a prescription for positive financial results. Contact us today if you are ready to put an employee engagement plan into action!