Happy Employees Means Happy Customers

Everyone seems to be posting, blogging, speaking about WHY when your staff is happy your customers will ultimately feel the same way.  So, I decided why not add my thoughts as well?

For me, being happy should be everyone’s goal.  I am not saying you need to be “smiley” all the time.  However, your mood does come across in your voice and body language.  Remember, how you are perceived is how you are received!

We have all seen sales associates in a retail store with their arms folded or an indifferent look on their face and we simply just walk away – even though we really wanted to see and buy that great piece of jewelry in the case.

The same holds true for our telephone agents.  Their voice, tone and manner of speech is all they have to convince a customer that they are empowered to help them no matter what.  Remember, a satisfied customer is 9 times as likely to buy again if their problems are solved quickly and professionally.
 
What makes a “happy employee”?

• Training, coaching and product knowledge
  
• Defined career paths and mentoring
  
• Genuine appreciation for a job well done

What make a “happy customer”?

• This company stands behind their products/services and keeps their promises
  
• This company knows who I am, when I last contacted them and why
  
• This company lets me know if something is wrong before I even know it

I am sure you can add scores to the above lists, which may be a great topic for your next staff meeting.

Some “think about” tips for being a “happy” employee:

• I enjoy getting up in the morning and going to work
  
• I know what to do when I have to deal with an unhappy customer
  
• I know how to stay focused and listen to the customer
  
• I am confident that at the end of the call I have satisfied the customers’ reason for contacting us

Some “think about” tips for being a “happy” customer:

• Am I realistic in what I expect the company to do?
  
• Do I let the company know how I felt (good or bad) by completing any of their surveys?
  
• Do I understand why the company cannot always do what I am asking?
  
• Do I let friends know how great a company is?

“Happy” is indeed a state-of-mind, however, if we all identified ways to make customer resolution better and made it easy for our customers to have a great experience we just might be part of the answer and not part of the problem.

More Resources

• Webinar: Empower Every Agent to Be Your Best Agent
  
• Research: Workforce Optimization for Today's Contact Center
  
• Whitepaper: 7 Key Capabilities for a Powerful Workforce Management Solution
  
• Training: ICMI Online Training Pass