Author Archives: Linda

About Linda

Linda builds relationships with clients and utilizes Brand Integrity’s solutions, including the Potential Point Experience Management Platform, to help clients understand their current cultural reality. Together with the Brand Integrity team, she analyzes collected employee and customer data to make recommendations for the future that will help clients reach their strategic goals. Prior to joining the company, Linda operated a consultancy where she coached business leaders and facilitated training sessions on relationship management best practices based on her research in Bowen Family Systems Theory. She holds a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester.

How to get employees to deliver on customer experience promises

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The title of this article is a bit misleading. So is “How to get him to return calls quicker,” “How to get her to be friendlier to customers,” and “How to get them to upsell more.”

If we want to be accurate about how we lead people, and how we manage the experience, we have to admit that we can’t actually “get” anyone to do anything. But we still need our workforce to produce, to deliver, and ultimately to help us obtain and keep customers.

So if we can’t get them to do it, what can we do?

We can provide clear, strong leadership that sets our people (and our business) up for success, both internally—among employees, and externally—among customers.

The Leader’s Role

Here are three critical ways leaders can set their people up to do “it”—that is, to deliver on customer experience promises:

1. DEFINE AND SET EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT “IT” IS

Start off by determining what you want your business to be known for. Define one or two basic beliefs to inspire each employee’s behaviors every day. For example, “We believe every interaction with a customer is an opportunity to offer a friendly, engaging experience that makes us the best place to shop.” If an employee doesn’t believe every customer truly deserves a friendly, engaging experience, that employee will have difficulty providing that experience.

Beliefs are critical because they drive behaviors. But beliefs are invisible. We can’t “see” or “do” a belief, so we can’t measure its effectiveness. Behaviors, on the other hand, are visible—and therefore, measurable. Behaviors drive the experiences that lead to a business result—more or less productivity, loyalty, and/or sales.

Determine specific behaviors that all employees can do consistently to provide the kind of “wow” experiences that not only satisfy customers, but instill the kind of loyalty that leads to referrals (the ultimate compliment).

Document these beliefs and behaviors. Make sure beliefs are simple, easy to understand, remember, and repeat. Make sure behaviors are actionable and visible.

Here’s an example of a basic, non-negotiable behavior every employee can and should do every day.

“Help customers find what they need.” (Good, but not great).

“Approach customers in the store and ask ‘Can I help you find something?’” (Much better! Why? Because it’s specific and visible).

2. COMMUNICATE

After you define and document the behaviors that make up the desired customer experience, COMMUNICATE them to all employees and set clear expectations.

In weekly staff meetings and informal huddles, on break room bulletin boards, and in staff newsletters, focus on one key behavior at a time, such as, “Acknowledge every customer with eye contact, a smile, and a sincere greeting.” Frequently mention “the experience” you want to deliver to customers, and remind employees of the specific behaviors that have been defined as “mission critical” to the company’s success.

Better yet, catch your people doing the right behaviors, and share those successes with the entire workforce. Recognizing people for doing the right things is the best way to educate employees on the company strategy, generate commitment, and stimulate positive actions that will be replicated by others.

3. HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR DOING “IT”

Measure the consistency with which those behaviors are delivered on a day-to-day basis, and link those measurements to key financial results.

Make “the experience” part of every performance review. Have employees complete a non-confidential self-assessment once a year to rate themselves on how consistently they do the non-negotiable behaviors. This can be a great starting point for a conversation between you and your employee. Find out if they’re unclear about expectations – what to do, or how to do it. Identify areas where the employee might be struggling, resources or additional training they may need, and reinforce their crucial role in impacting the company’s financial results.

Good employees will try hard to meet performance objectives if they understand what good performance is. It’s your job as the leader to DEFINE good performance, clearly COMMUNICATE expectations, and courageously HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE for delivering “it.”