Q: Providing good customer service has always been our top priority. We even have a strong reward system to motivate our people to be the best. However, we are getting not praises, but complaints from customers every day! In a way, the staffs are “anti-customer”; they offend them, quarrel with them and do all the wrong things instead of serving them better. What is missing and what do I need to do?
A: If a good reward and punishment system cannot do the job, then it is probably the leadership system you need to look at. Find out whether your people are happy with the way they are being managed. This is important to know because unhappy employees will not deliver good customer service! In the same vein, when they are happy, they make the customers happy as well.
The philosophy of life is to “do unto others as you want them do unto you”. There is more to happiness than giving people extrinsic rewards. Even parents who use the monetary method fail miserably in raising well-balanced and happy children. Work on the intrinsic rewards more; treat your people the same way you want them to treat your customers. Show them good mannerisms, cheerfulness, empathy, respect, and so forth. Upholding your people’s dignity and respect will go much further. So, practise good internal customer service first, before you expect your people to provide good service to external customers.
POWERFUL QUESTIONS
- How well do you treat your people as partners?
- How cordial is this relationship with them?
- What do you want your people to say about your organisation?
- What can you do to empower them beyond money?
Convert your managers into coach-leaders. Equip them with coaching competencies and coaching credentials to transform them into workplace certified coaches who can develop your talents and take your organization to the next level.
Check out on our Certified Associate Coach Program.