Inspiring greater customer service

The employees that interact with your customers are the life force of your company. If you do not think the people in your company matter, then talk to someone who was treated poorly by a sales rep, or a customer service agent. People matter, and creating an environment for the people who work for your company that helps them feel respected and important will help inspire those same attributes in how they treat customers. Here are three things you have to do to inspire greater customer service in employees:

Hear it- Employees have to be treated with respect, and hear that they are respected on a regular basis. Giving them recognition verbally for a job well done will inspire them to continue doing so. Make a point of continually reminding employees verbally of your commitment to customer service, and of treating them the way you want them to treat the customers. The more they hear it, the more they will remember it.

Experience it- In order to inspire greater customer service you have to remember that great customer service is part of three part cycle. When an employee feels important and respected, they treat their customers the same way, and this in turn leads to higher profits. Thus, if you want to inspire greater customer service, you have to start with how you treat your employees. They have to experience it within the walls of your company, and then they will take it outside those walls to your customers. Create a culture where everyone feels as if they are part of something bigger than themselves, working toward something they can believe in. Help them truly feel like the company's success is their success. This might mean incentives. The point is, creating an environment that is comfortable, and where everyone feels respected and apart is key to good customer service.

Motivated and encouraged to act it- This is the last part. You can teach your employees how to treat customers well, and show them by example, but unless they have motivation to do it, you won't always see results. One of the best ways to inspire greater customer service is to encourage it, and motivate them to show it. This can be done with bonuses, incentives, recognition and awards, a share in company profits, etc. There are any number of ways to help motivate employees to step up the level of customer service offered, but the biggest motivator is simply to treat them right, and ask them to do the same for your customers. If they feel like they are valued, they will make the customers feel the same way.

Better customer service can only help your company, it won't hurt it. Thus, treating your employees better, like people, and not disposable, despite their position, will lead to higher profit margins, and a happier work environment, more loyal customers, and a better reputation.