For small business owners and managers, delivering an exceptional customer experience should be a top priority. But what if we told you that the real secret to a truly remarkable experience actually lies in your team’s experience? While it’s common sense to focus on customer-facing strategies, a great customer experience (abbreviated as CX) requires a strong, positive employee experience (EX) to really succeed. Indeed, when employees feel valued, supported, and empowered, they’re far more likely to go the extra mile with your customers to make each of their experiences successful.
Let’s explore a few key ways a positive employee experience lays the foundation for outstanding customer service:
Empowered Employees Lead to Happy Customers
When employees are treated and trusted as valued members of your business, rather than as warm bodies to just fill up the roster, they feel empowered to make decisions that will benefit your customers. Think of the difference between an employee who feels trapped by, say, rigid policies and another who has the freedom and trust to make judgement calls that will genuinely help customers. As it turns out, empowerment is a chain reaction that leads to happy, confident employees who can create the kind of positive customer experiences that will generate customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth growth.
Ask yourself, are there pain points in your sales and service processes that your employees could smooth over if only they weren’t obligated to follow an exact procedure? Have you asked them what those pain points might be? If you haven’t trusted them with this power, have you asked yourself why not?
Supportive Work Environments Build Trust
Employees need to feel supported, not just in their daily tasks but in their overall well-being and professional growth. This speaks to the idea that each one is valued beyond filling a shift vacancy. Companies that invest in training, offer constructive feedback, and foster a supportive work environment find that their employees are far more engaged and—ultimately—trustworthy. This trust shines through in every interaction, all the way to the customer him or herself feeling valued and understood. And when your customers trust your team, they’re far more likely to return.
What steps has your business taken to demonstrate its trust and faith in your staff? Do you offer any kind of development programs? Any teambuilding events? Do employees have a reason to feel invested in your company beyond their paycheck?
A Transparent Culture Reduces Stress for Everyone
Business transparency isn’t just about sharing information with customers, which is, of course, enormously important; it’s also about being open with your employees, too. Employees must understand your company’s mission, values, and goals so that they are better equipped to share these with your customers in a natural and authentic way. A transparent, honest culture reduces workplace stress by alleviating worry and quieting discontent. This helps employees focus on delivering a meaningful and thoughtful service to your customers.
Are your employees well-versed on what your company stands for? Do they have a sense of ownership in the kind of company culture you’re promoting? Are they confident they know where the business is headed? Do they care?
Make EX a Core Business Priority
Investing in your team isn’t just an expense to file under your profits and losses—it’s the foundation of excellent customer service. By building a strong employee experience, you set the stage for memorable and positive customer experiences that will keep people coming back. If you’re ready to start optimizing both your customer and employee experiences to maximize satisfaction and ultimately enhance profit, we urge you to consider partnering with us at The Brandt Group. Our team will help your business gather the critical data it needs through our world-class mystery shopping program and employee feedback tools. Moreover, we offer leadership training courses that will empower your managers to implement a refreshingly transparent and positive culture that your employees will love and one to which your customers will be loyal.
Let’s make your business the best it can be for both your team and your customers. Reach out to The Brandt Group today to learn how we can help you elevate both experiences to the next level!
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