Differentiate your company with first class customer service.
Have you ever seen a company that provides consistent, exceptional service for its customers that has unhappy employees? I never have!
From my view, it is not possible for longer than a short-term time frame.
On the other hand, if you empower and engage your employees, you’ll find that customer service follows. It is no accident that the Ritz Carlton provides exceptional service. They know it starts with their employees. If you have a problem at the Ritz, whoever is helping you (from a baggage handler to a maid) will make sure you walk away satisfied – without asking for approval.
The problem is that it isn’t easy to create this culture. Empowering and engaging employees means that you must let them try new ideas and fail. You must support them giving away more money than is necessary while they learn the ropes. You must be willing to live with – and support – the choices your employees make.
The key to empowering and engaging employees begins with leadership. I’ve yet to work with a client that had empowered and engaged employees with a weak leader on top. Yet I’ve seen the least likely suspects turn into empowered and engaged employees with an exceptional leader on top!