| Encouraging Outbursts Can Too Much Technology Hurt Your Business? By Kathy Lehan |
| Our country is a fast-paced technology driven world, increasingly run by managers who rose from the ranks of information technology (IT). This "tech" slant is starting to backlash, leaving a trail of failing businesses in their wake, and not just technology startups. Emphasizing technology as the solution to people problems is impacting the bottom line of many businesses without managers even understanding why they are seeing slipping brand and customer loyalty, falling sales and eventually business failures. Too much technology can hurt your business. What technology can never do is fix a perceived disingenousness by customers of your company or its employees. Many companies have resorted to "feel good" advertising campaigns to retain and win customers back. But the disconnect between advertising promises and what customers are actually experiencing causes many customers to feel like they are being lied to. In the past, the phrase "customer service" has been used to address keeping customers happy. But "satisfaction" only goes so far; in the past, the objective of customer satisfaction has only been 'satisfaction' when it should have been customer joy! How can you acheive joy among your customers? There are three simple ways to enhance joy: First, give your employees the latitude to make the customer happy. This doesn't just apply to people in your customer service department or those with direct customer contact. It applies to every level of your company. If someone in your accounting department notices that customers aren't paying their invoices correctly, they should look into the reason why. Perhaps the invoice needs to be made more "user-friendly" to reduce customer mistakes and ultimately customer dissatisfaction with your company in general. This type of pro-active approach solves a problem for the company, eases frustration for the customer and in the long run saves the company money. With the unemployment rate the lowest it's been in years (below 4.7%), employee retention is now a big concern for most businesses. Employees who can't solve problems quickly become frustrated in their jobs. And, just like unhappy customers, your employees will leave too. Unless your company is the only provider of a particular product or service, even a low price won't keep your customers with you if you don't keep them happy. It may sound cliche' to exceed your customer's expectations, but it works. Your employees often have great insights into how to improve things. If you still don't know what your customers expect, do some marketing research - ask them what they want - then do everything you can to give it to them. Second, never minimize how important your customers are to the long-term success and continuation of your business. There is not a business of any type that doesn't have a customer, even businesses that cater to other businesses still have customers. Every employee in your organization from the CEO down to the cleaning crew should be focused on seeking ways to make the customer happy and to find ways to solve customer problems. Your employees should think of the customer as the person who ultimately decides whether they keep their job or not, because without customers your business won't need employees. Customers frequently make off-handed remarks to line employees that are a very significant measure of how well your company is meeting their needs. Every employee should have access to a decision-maker to pass along these concerns and comments. Continued... [next page... go to Page 2] |
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| Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. --Hebrews 10:24 |
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