I recently walked into a restaurant and saw two employees in a heated exchange. They were so involved in their disagreement, they didn’t notice me standing there for almost 10 minutes. Top top it off, the owners was there just watching. If you’ve followed me at all, you know what I did.
I walked out. ✌? Peace! I will not beg you to spend my money.
This encounter had me thinking about customer loyalty and the important role staff plays in satisfying the customer. Richard Brunson says “If you look after your staff, they will look after your customers. It’s that simple.”
Since the start of the pandemic we have heard about the great resignation, read complaints about lack of service, extreme wait times, etc. Yet, the best brands or companies have found ways to keep increase their customer loyalty. They have quality staff that provide consistent, reliable, and dependable service.
What does your staff have to do with customer loyalty?
Your staff has a direct impact on your customers and their experience. That experience has a direct impact on their loyalty. So, it’s imperative that you make sure your staff stays engaged in company success. Staff engagement should be a differentiator for your organization.
Here are four tips to keep staff engaged.
1. Empower Staff to Have an Entrepreneurial Spirit – In The Nordstrom Way, the authors share how Nordstrom encourages employees to have an entrepreneurial spirit. Each staff member feels empowered because they have the tools to take ownership, make it work, be themselves, follow the few rules, and operate with total understanding of the company culture.
2. Keep the Flow of Communication Open with Staff – One of the common threads with successful brands is the support of communication. Communication is part of their philosophy and does not flow in one direction. It flows from leadership to staff, from staff to leadership, and from staff to staff. Through communication, trust is established, practices are shared, and opinions are welcomed. Leadership stays in the loop about what’s going on int he company. Staff members are concerned about fellow employees, and each team member wants to do what is best for the organization and customers.
3. Find and Share the Wins – Finding the win and celebrating it has a direct impact on your staff and their engagement. In Excellence Wins, Horst Schultze shares how Ritz Carlton has daily meetings with each department to share information, share objectives, reinforce core principles, and share/promote wins. How do you determine the win? It’s all based on the individual and the situation. The win may be completing the sale. It could also be helping a co-worker, making a customer’s life easier, or creating a way to improve experiences. Great brands create environments where wins are regularly shared and celebrated. Those wins add to the culture and assists in making sure the staff does not feel neglected.
4. Be Authentic with Staff – Research indicates customers do not want to be read scripts. They want to be provided solutions. It is important that staff members are authentic in the sales process. Companies that encourage authenticity amongst their staff create a culture of inclusivity which leads directly to customer loyalty. If you look at companies that consistently rank at the top of customer experiences, they are likely ranked at the top of best places to work. According to the 2021 Achieving Customer Amazement study, 75% of Americans are more likely to be loyal to a company or brand that delivers a personalized customer service experience. That experience comes directly from your staff.
