At the risk of sounding somewhat like my Dad, who had to trudge to school, in the snow, barefoot, uphill in both directions: Today’s generation of employees want (some would say “require”) something different from the world of work that I never expected.
They want to do work that has meaning. Younger generations now want to know that their efforts for your organization are more purposeful. And they will not be satisfied with work for work’s sake.
Many organizations have a purpose, even one that might be virtuous and laudable. But your organization’s purpose can’t stop at the office door. It has to follow your employees home and inspire them in their personal lives—and it should do so in a way that makes sense from an employee perspective.
This purpose-inspired culture has become so important that it isn’t merely the very top – C-Suite leaders or business owners, for example — that need to buy into it; it has to be shared by all who work for you, managers and non-managers alike.
The organization’s greater purpose needs to leap from job descriptions and company mission statements and flow into employees’ consciousness 24/7, wherever they are.
This purpose-inspired culture will be critical to attracting the best of the Millennial generation (generally accepted as born between 1980 and 1997) and Gen Z (born 1998-2012), who expect meaning from their work–and who have a multitude of employment options. These generations know what they want, even if older generations of leadership and management do not yet know exactly how to help them get it.
Studies show that Millennials and Gen Z are searching for purpose in employment more than anything else–and not merely purpose at work, but purpose with their lives.
To borrow a phrase from the 1930s, purpose is the “New Deal” that young workers seek from today’s world of work.
Some would say purpose is the difference between being “engaged at work” and “having a job.” It is a purpose that engages employees and keeps them focused on their work, producing higher-quality outcomes, and staying committed to the organizations they work for in a manner that ensures they’re present for work tomorrow.
Purpose is no longer solely an HR issue: Purpose has become a business imperative.
From product development and marketing to operations and quality control, purpose is the New Deal. Every department and every business leader should explore purpose for their organizations and how they can market it to not only to Millennials and Gen Z– but also to existing experienced employees who may demand purpose in return for sticking around.
The purpose could be your organization’s mission or a purpose you apply to a specific unit. The purpose could be to do something worthwhile for the community or society at large, which is often a powerful draw for Millennials and Gen Z. Your organization’s purpose should be something that everyone can get behind.
Your purpose is not required to be altruistic, though. It can also be about an improved customer experience or a purpose-inspired product line. Purpose could also validate that your organization is doing something important in its own right, and is something that employees could take pride in delivering for customers.
Your purpose can be to make work more purposeful, which means designing the purpose into the project or taking purpose into consideration for any given marketing campaign.
Your purpose could be to make employees’ jobs easier, not harder, to find new ways to help them get their work done, or to give them time for other pursuits while still performing effectively.
However, here’s a fundamental problem I’ve observed that leaders experience as they attempt to move in this direction: purpose shouldn’t get confused with meaning.
Purpose is a direct result of meaning — purpose is what you do to give your life meaning, or purpose is applying meaning to your work. Purpose may be an immediate objective, but it’s typically not something you bank on for a lifetime.
Meaning is about “an applied purpose over an extended period.” Meaning is what you embrace and believe in for years or even decades.
This purpose/meaning gap can lead to some significant problems. Here are some important questions to assist you:
What is the meaning behind the products and services your organization provides? What’s it all about?
How does the purpose of each project or activity — or even daily work — contribute to the organization delivering on its very meaning in the world?
How does the work of each individual employee serve a purpose that aligns with the purpose of their team, a project, or their daily activities?
And have you made it abundantly clear how that individual’s work of purpose contributes to the organization’s purpose — which, in turn, creates meaning in the world?
If you can’t answer those questions — or if you haven’t considered them — there’s no way your employees understand their purpose. This means they may be currently searching for an employer who can deliver one, as opposed to you. It’s a primary reason we have seen this “Great Resignation.”
If you desire to be an employer of choice — and consistently remain the employer that top talent chooses to work for — the role of purpose and meaning in your organization should be primary in your efforts to create distinction.
For the first time in my career, the number one problem in business that I consistently hear from organizations is the same, regardless of the industry or size of the company: it’s more difficult than ever to find and retain talented employees.
They seem to be the rarest aspect in business today: the employee who comes in early every day, is willing to stay late, and goes above and beyond what they’re asked to do.
In other words, the team member with total commitment to the organization’s success.
These employees bring fresh ideas to their role that help them grow within the organization and improve the overall employee experience for everyone else.
There has always been an excellent reason for organizations to work to prevent employee turnover. In fact, in my earliest books from two decades ago, I wrote that employee churn was the most significant overlooked expense for any organization. Employee turnover is an expense of significant dollars for every company. Perhaps even more importantly, there are also costs on employee morale and productivity.
According to Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace, employee turnover expenditures are more than $30 billion a year. Note — this study was conducted eight years ago! As turnover is a key indicator of employee satisfaction, it’s obvious that this is much more impactful to you and your organization now than ever before.
The term for this current challenge in finding and keeping employees is the “Great Resignation.” That phrase was coined by Texas A&M associate professor of management, Anthony Klotz (as reported by Time). The numbers bear out his assertion: — in August alone, 892,000 people quit hospitality jobs, and 721,000 left retail employment.
So why are so many of these great employees resigning? What are the primary reasons cited for people quitting their jobs?
The answers — and there are several — might not be what you expect. For example, the data proves it’s not the expanded unemployment insurance. (I admit I initially thought that issue was an essential driver of the problem — but the evidence shows it was not a significant factor. More people are leaving their current jobs now than those who quit before the end of the expanded benefits program concluded in September.)
Every organization — regardless of size — must learn that the employee experience isn’t merely about salaries, benefits, and working conditions. It’s most important about an organization’s culture — how people are treated daily within their company walls.
And the employee experience is not always about the employee. It’s also tied to customer satisfaction. It means you must focus on creating an outstanding employee-customer relationship, to ensure that both sides of the company coin (both employees and customers) are satisfied with their product or service.
Here are the three primary reasons employees quit:
Poor leadership. We’ve said for decades that “customers buy from those they know, like, and trust.” Guess what? The same thing is true for our internal customers. Our employees must know what our organization stands for…they must like the people they work for and with…and they must trust the organization to have their best interests at heart. In today’s world, you must compete for employees with the same passion and precision as you strive for customer acquisition and retention.
Unfair or poorly managed employee incentives and benefits. Are you confident that your employee perks are in line with what the employee values most? How do you know? If these benefits aren’t congruent with what your employees desire, it can make them feel underappreciated by their company — which can lead to a desire for career advancement elsewhere.
Finally, employee recognition is another area where employee experience can be lacking. How do you recognize good performance? When I first started in the job market, “employee recognition” was that you got to keep your job and collect a paycheck! Yet, that standard isn’t even “table stakes” anymore…although many employers seem to be operating under the erroneous assumption that it’s good enough in today’s world.
The employee experience is just as necessary as the customer experience, and it’s time for companies to start focusing on what employees really want!
First, come up with an example of a company that gets employee engagement right. What are some ways that they are going out of their way to improve their employee’s experience?
Second, how can you adopt or adapt their approach to your business? According to Professor Klotz, we have an opportunity to communicate with our employees and say, “Within the constraints of our business, let’s obviously raise wages and benefits — but let’s also think about flexibility more innovatively.”
Last, what can you do right now to start this employee experience movement within your organization?
Remember, employee engagement is a process that requires time and commitment. If immediate actions need to be taken in your company, try shifting the employee mindset by using employee surveys or forums.
According to Professor Klotz, “People want a voice – they want to be heard. This is a great way for employees and employers to meet in the middle.”
Our work on the Ultimate Customer Experience® helps organizations create the best for both your internal and external customers. We would love to talk about how we can work with you – as we have with other major organizations – to deliver this type of experience for your team members and those who purchase your products and services.
In a recent conversation with a friend who is a leader in the luxury hotel market, I learned of an aspect his organization is experiencing that stunned me. “We are having significant turnover because our younger employees have decided they do not want to serve people of affluence.”
Let’s discuss what it means that Millennials and Gen Z are now key members of customer service teams. It’s an overlooked aspect of the shortage of superior employees: what happens when employees no longer want to serve your customers?
Here’s my perspective on this: everyone has the right to choose where they want to work and the jobs they want to perform…until they’re hired.
By this, I mean that if I don’t want to mop floors, I have every right to refuse to seek a job as a custodian. However, if I accept a janitorial position, I don’t believe I now have the right to complain when my boss tells me to get out a broom. I can either perform the assigned task — or seek employment elsewhere in another field.
You may ask, “What does this have to do with customer service?”
It’s about perspective. Customers are the most important factor for any business. Years ago, speaker Floyd Wickman published a book with a fantastic title: The Customer Signs Your Paycheck. Too often employees forget who their boss is. They can spend too much time thinking of themselves without a thorough understanding that they are working to ensure customers repeat their business and refer their organization to their colleagues and friends.
In this customer-centric environment, companies must focus on providing a customer experience that goes “beyond the sale” and provides a distinctive level of services.
Today, customer service is the name of the game. Let’s start with some facts:
79% of consumers expect companies to provide superior customer care (Vistaprint).
40% of Americans say they will not use a company again after one negative customer experience (Siebel Systems).
Unfortunately, customer service has gone downhill over the years.
60% of US employees don’t understand or agree with their company’s customer service strategy (American Express).
Only 25% of customer-facing employees and managers strongly believe they can make a difference in providing excellent customer care (Vistaprint).
The good news is that training your team to deliver world-class customer service isn’t as difficult as you might think. By focusing on key areas, such as recognizing customer needs, understanding customer behavior, and embracing change, you can “set the table” for your team members to deliver the experience your customers crave.
By the way, we can help you with your organization’s efforts here — just as we are doing with several dynamic and distinctive organizations.
However, today’s generations — Millennials and Gen Z — may need a unique type of education and training from their predecessors. While customer experience training is critically important across all age groups, Millennials and Gen Zs have grown up differently. Their experience comes from an environment where they constantly interact with brands via social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. They want to work for organizations that are making a difference in the world and are socially responsible.
For example, my hotel executive friend didn’t simply tell disgruntled employees something that might have been said a few years ago, “If you don’t want to serve the affluent, you can quit now!”
Instead, he talked with them about the cardiologists who were recently guests there for a meeting would now return home better prepared to save lives — maybe even family members of those who worked at the hotel.
He had them envision the couple that has saved for two years to take the perfect one-week vacation — and were guests of their hotel in anticipation of an extraordinary experience. He also reviewed the commitment of the hotel to recycle and other environmentally friendly efforts.
Would this have been a component of his education/training programs a few years ago? Of course not. However, that does not mean it isn’t of critical importance today.
It’s my belief that the employees of my friend’s hotel group weren’t really saying they didn’t want to serve affluent customers.
They were subtly informing their leader that they hadn’t discovered how their work was making a difference. They had not yet been educated on why the experience they were delivering could have a positive impact on their customers, colleagues, and organization.
In other words, the way we show how much our customers matter in today’s world is to begin by educating our teams on how they can make a positive difference. It’s a primary tool we can use to become distinctive in a hyper-competitive marketplace.
Here’s a statistic that’s a bit difficult for me to wrap my head around: in July, 4,000,000 people quit their jobs! By the end of July, there were almost 11,000,000 jobs open — an all-time record, according to Harvard Business Review.
As I talk with entrepreneurs and leaders of large corporations, all are singing a similar tune: “It’s tough — almost impossible — to find and keep great people.”
Since the Great Recession of 2008, you have likely been hearing about the “skills gap.” That is, “there aren’t enough trained workers with skills needed to fill open jobs at a time when a record number of them are going unfilled.” But it does not stop there. We hear from constant news reports and analysis about the “Great Resignation” — a tsunami of employees walking away from their employment. It’s a critical challenge for every business, regardless of size.
In the book “Why People Resign: The Great Resignation and What to Do About It,” author Robert Bacal states that his research found eight principal reasons why people quit their jobs. A few of the reasons he discovered were that employees were resigning due to:
lack of appreciation
being under-challenged or overly challenged at work
being paid less than their colleagues.
Bacal’s research discovered that when employees quit, it has much more to do with the overall employment experience than simple matters like salary.
For many years, I’ve been writing and speaking about the customer experience — always pointing out that we need to be equally concerned about the experiences that our internal customers (often called “employees” or “team members”) are having and not focus solely on external customers who buy our products and services.
In my first business book, “ALL Business is Show Business!” over twenty years ago, I wrote:
“The purpose of any business is to profitably create experiences so compelling that loyalty becomes assured.”
Many would read that sentence as advocating an Ultimate Customer Experience® for those who purchase from us — and it does!
However, it’s also to state the superior importance of delivering an extraordinary experience for internal customers, as well — so their loyalty becomes the result of our efforts.
It’s amazing to me that if an employee quits, walks out of the building, and tries to leave with the company computer she has used during her employment, the manager would call the cops and have her arrested for theft. That same employee, however, can walk out with customer relationships, knowledge of the business, and recipient of an extensive investment in training and education from the company…and most managers just shrug and say, “That’s the way business works today!”
I promise you that it’s more likely their knowledge and relationships are significantly more important to your business than their company laptop!
Yet, you would never know that, because the vast majority of managers are blind to this. Some even think all employees are interchangeable. If they can’t find a good replacement from within, then they just hire from the outside without much thought or consideration for what is really going on.
(By the way — do you know your turnover rate? Do you know the primary reasons that people are leaving your employment? Have you done a bit of research to discover why great candidates aren’t accepting your job offers? Until you take these steps, you probably aren’t going to solve your employment problems.)
The reasons for this are many, but several sources report that the most common reasons people quit their jobs are:
The work is not engaging.
Leadership doesn’t care about employees.
There are no opportunities to advance or grow.
I don’t feel valued by my employer.
(You can probably think of more. But, please note, salary is not among the primary reasons that people quit.)
You probably have an acquisition strategy for customers — in other words, you’ve planned out how you are going to attract new customers for your business.
You have one for external customers…how you’re going to get paying customers away from your competition and over to your side; and you probably have a recruitment approach for new employees, as well.
The problem is that today’s marketplace requires a retention strategy that is engineered with as much passion and precision as your acquisition strategy. What is your detailed plan to keep the customers you have — both internal and external?
In this time where people feel little reticence about quitting a job, planning a distinctive retention strategy for your internal customers may be one of the most profitable steps you make this year.
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That sounds like a silly question — of course you do! Retaining a customer is better than acquiring a new one. It costs less, you already invested in an existing relationship with them, and they are more likely to refer you to their friends than someone having their first experience with you and your organization.
However, sometimes you might feel it’s not worth the effort, depending on the customer, your attitude at that moment, or both. However, keeping current customers is one of the best things you can do for your business.
Do you have a customer retention strategy? Do your employees know what to do, how to do it, and who should be the go-to person when they want or need help with something that might upset their customers?
If not, this article will show you five ways to save your customers.
#1: Fix their problem
You know the saying “the customer is always right?” Well, it’s actually not true. Even if they are wrong (which does happen), they are still the customer! You must fix their problem as quickly and efficiently as possible to make them happy again. An excellent way to do this is to follow up with your customer via email or phone call shortly after any complaint is registered. Remember, not responding to a customer complaint online is the equivalent of ignoring what they say in person. Address and fix their problems!
#2: Offer an incentive for customer feedback
This is the part where you ask for comments and criticisms. If they are having an issue with your product or service, ask them to provide their contact information so that you can address it properly and perhaps send out a future discount as an incentive.
Offering incentives for feedback can go the extra mile in terms of customer retention. But this isn’t simply about coupons; conceive alternative ways to reward them for their insights. Recognize them for being vocal and recognize their efforts.
#3: Create reward programs that incentivize more purchases
Acknowledge customers with rewards when they purchase from you. Some organizations use a recognition program where points can be accumulated and then later redeemed for discounts, free items, or even gift cards.
Obviously, that isn’t appropriate in some industries – for example, professional services firms. However, the goal here is to inspire you to think about how you can reward your customers for making the choice to do business with you! No matter what your field of endeavor might be, there are creative ways in which you can reward customers ethically so you inspire them to acquire more of your products and services.
#4: Provide higher levels of support for better customers
Customers always appreciate special treatment — and oftentimes, they will purchase more of your products or services to attain it. Make it clear that your best customers have access to enhanced services — for example, 24-hour support lines, instant response to emails or texts, special lines to speed their purchases, and more.
#5: Educate your team to engage with customers and create relationships
You can’t expect your team to create relationships with customers if they don’t know how. Train employees on customer engagement and ask them what type of interaction or communication would feel meaningful to them.
In a multi-generational workforce, your new hires may not have as much experience in interpersonal relationships and communication as you. Or maybe they developed some bad habits in previous work situations.
Don’t let your employees continue to make rookie mistakes. It’s one thing if they don’t know how to communicate with customers, but it’s quite another when they treat them poorly or neglect their needs. Your business has a responsibility to deliver the Ultimate Customer Experience ® — and it isn’t possible to keep customers with a poorly trained workforce in today’s marketplace.
The term “Ultimate Customer Experience®” is a Federally Registered Trademark of our company. If you would like to ensure that your team delivers the highest level of distinction in dealing with your customers so you can retain and expand their business with you, let’s talk about how we can help you make that happen!
What do you want from your customer service experience? Do you want to be given the best of the best, or are you content with mediocre?
No matter what your answer is, most people want something better than they’re getting. While this won’t ensure inadequate service will never happen, here are five pointers on how to become a better customer and receive the Ultimate Customer Experience!®
1: Don’t be a pain in the butt!
This should go without saying — however, all of us have observed a customer that’s a PITB! (Pain In the Butt. And, we can occasionally see this type of customer when we look in the mirror!)
Nobody likes a customer who complains about everything. Even if you have all good intentions, it’s still annoying and frustrating for others. Be considerate and respectful when talking to customer service representatives — they are there to help solve your problems.
2: Don’t be rude
This should also go without saying, but we’ve all been in a customer service situation where someone is being flat-out rude to a representative trying to help them! It’s annoying and frustrating for representatives — plus it reflects badly on your company if you’re the one being disrespectful (or at least perceived that way).
If you’ve had a bad day and are taking it out on the staff, don’t be surprised if your order is made wrong or takes longer than usual to arrive. Treat everyone with respect, no matter how busy they appear.
It’s important to remember that even when you’re not on the job, you represent your company, your community, and your family and friends. It doesn’t take much to simply be pleasant — and it’s worth the effort!
3: Don’t be condescending
It’s not easy to stay calm and polite when someone is being snippy, but it can make all the difference in how a representative perceives you. Keep a smile on your face, even if you’re dealing with rude customer service representatives from time to time.
As long as you are remaining professional (and acting in a pleasant manner), it is much more difficult for them to serve you in an inferior manner.
4: Don’t make the customer representative wait.
It may be tempting to take your time, especially, for example, if you don’t feel like dealing with the customer service representative on the other end of the phone line. However, making a representative wait for an extended period is unacceptable in terms of superior customer service etiquette. Be prepared to communicate with those who are serving you.
This does NOT mean you should refrain from asking questions or seeking advice. However, all employees are under significant pressure nowadays. (And your fellow customers get annoyed when delayed by someone hemming and hawing when they should be ready with a question or request.)
Another example of poor customer service etiquette is loudly talking on your phone or distracting conversations with friends and family. (This also includes playing music or a sportscast others can hear while you wait for your order.) This behavior is annoying to other customers who are sitting just a few seats away.
Also, if the staff requests you move from your current spot because it helps them serve additional customers, understand their needs and their request.
5: Don’t “Mother-Hen”
In other words, don’t be a “helicopter customer” who hovers over the staff and asks them repeatedly if they’ve done something or why it’s taking so long! This is annoying to those working to serve you…and just as infuriating to other customers!
If your order is delayed unacceptably, it’s fine to ask for an update. However, hovering won’t help — it’s like expecting the elevator to arrive more rapidly if you keep pushing the “up” button over and over.
Being a good customer is simple. Be nice, patient and understanding – but simultaneously, don’t be afraid to complain when something’s not done right!
The business you are dealing with has the responsibility to deliver the Ultimate Customer Experience ®. However, that does not preclude that all customers can take steps to ensure they are worthy of the effort required to obtain it!
The term “Ultimate Customer Experience®” is a Federally Registered Trademark of our company. If you would like to ensure that your team delivers the highest level of distinction in dealing with your customers, let’s talk about how we can help you make that happen!
