Earlier this week, my bad fortune with an airline allowed me to discuss all the touch points your customers go through in forming an opinion about your brand and the company that brand represents.
But it’s worth considering that your employees go through something similar.
And, of course, how they feel about their employer will have much influence over what serving customers looks like.
So here is a quick tour of the major touch points you might consider. Are any of these opportunities?
Recruitment. The prospective employee perhaps knows about your brand already from marketing or personal interaction or reputation. And when it comes to considering employment, you can add online job sites, etc. What do those recruiting messages look like? Do they represent your brand well, or are they generic? What about the interview process? Are you evaluating the hire solely, or are you introducing them to the culture and what you are about?
Orientation. Nowadays we call it onboarding. It should point-blank address the brand. Your story. The values and culture. Introducing them to their new team members and showing them you care. If your new hire is left to sit while IT gets passwords to them for a day or so, you might have an opportunity here. This is your chance to set the tone–what former Ritz Carlton calls a “significant emotional event,” one of the rare opportunities to get an adult to change behavior.
Development. You’re not done orienting them, right? Employees, especially younger employees, are not looking so much for pay as for growth. How will you grow them? Some sample answers: regular training … consistent coaching from the boss … opportunities to recognize achievement (certifications, attaboys, etc.) … showing them a career path … etc. In all of this thus far, you are showing that you care.
Environment. Day in and day out, what’s it like there? You could talk about everything from the furniture and lighting to benefits to policies that ensure they have enough family/personal time. But I would add to that a sense of purpose. Are there regular reminders about the impact they have on customers? Meetings that reflect the organization’s mission and progress toward it? Bosses who get the big picture? Outings or group opportunities to get to know each other?
Certainly, at the end of this “employee journey,” you’d want to conduct an exit interview as well.
Here’s your homework: List out all of your customer touch points and discuss with your team what you do well and what you’d like to improve. If you need help, let’s talk.