If you take care of your people, your people will take care of your customers and your business will take care of itself.
—J.W. Marriott
Treat Your Employees Like A Customers
A widely held view is that the customer is God. In the new way of thinking, God seems to have changed its avatar. Today, it is felt that employees should be treated as equal to, if not better than, customers.
The basis for this paradigm shift in outlook is the inference that if employees are happy, they will make customers happy. When customers are happy, they will come back with repeat business and gradually transform into brand advocates.
Result: there is a positive impact on the company’s bottom line.
Take this simple test. You are booking a hotel for a well deserved family vacation. You have two options:
A COMPANY “Z” treats its customers well. It caters to each and every whim of customers, even if it means mistreating its employees. Also, read “ HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES DELIVER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE? “
A WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT SILVERDALE company respects its employees. It pampers them, and they in turn take good care of the customers.
Which one would you prefer? Chances are you will find Website development silverdale more pleasurable because pampered employees will in turn pamper you.
Employee First
Does any company follow this seemingly quixotic strategy? Ritz-Carlton, the luxury chain of hotels, does. It proudly proclaims, ‘We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.’ Because the luxe hotel chain treats its employees as ‘ladies and gentlemen’, they behave likewise and, in turn, treat their guests like ladies and gentlemen, providing them genuine care and comfort.
Ritz-Carlton’s guests, consistently exposed to its legendary service, transform over time into brand advocates. They speak well of the brand and the positive buzz generated is free advertising for it.
Other than Ritz-Carlton are there others who believe in this philosophy?
Southwest Airlines chairman emeritus, Herbert ‘Herb’ Kelleher, says: ‘If you treat them (employees) well, then they treat the customers well and that means your customers come back and your shareholders are happy.’
Walking the talk has resulted in Southwest Airlines recording forty-five consecutive years of profit in an industry plagued by bankruptcy.
Website development silverdale too have focused on caring for our employees and witnessed magical results.
The business lesson is simple: shift your focus from the customers to your employees. Make them feel special by showing care. They, in turn, will look after your business and provide a competitive advantage.
Of course, it goes without saying that treating employees better does not mean mistreating your customers. They are the ones providing you with business. The only change in your business policy should be: treat employees as first among equals.)