First Step Marketing

Make sure the results are believable

If employees have seen the results collected, know how they are compiled and have evidence that it was their customers who gave the information, they are more likely to act on it. If the information comes down from management, represents random sampling and anonymity, employees tend to discount it.

Make sure the results are used

Customer-satisfaction results should be discussed with the staff. If a celebration is held following excellent results, staff begin to see the data as important. Some companies hold a braai to which all staff members are invited. Merely posting numbers or sending out a memo about complaints does not work.

Give special awards to those employees who go beyond the call of duty

The ‘Champions’ award, for example, is given to employees of one of our clients for notable and often quite dramatic achievements. The award is a result of customers’ comments. Managers forward these comments and letters to a review committee who decide upon those deserving of the special award. There is no limit to the number of employees who can win ‘Champion’ awards although five seems to be the average. Winners receive gold cuff links and a weekend away with their spouses at the Wild Coast Sun.

These awards are also made to those staff members who help their colleagues. This acts as a form of feedback for employees who have gone that extra mile to help their colleagues.

Managers are given authority to award ‘Champion’ stickers and cash awards of varying amounts to their employees — $200 or a dinner out on the town, for example.

The result is a loyal, well-trained, highly motivated workforce, paid better-than-average salaries and constantly rewarded for meeting and exceeding the company’s pacesetting service standards.

Information and reward

Employees need information to know how they are doing and to make sure they are doing what is expected of them. Let us consider the three distinctive aspects of information. Firstly, staff must clearly understand the objectives they are supposed to achieve. Working without objectives is like running a long-distance race without being told where the finish line is. Staff need to know the amount and quality of work to be accomplished.

Second, information is needed to confirm or correct the quality and quantity of work. Finally, information on how to perform each job in the organisation is needed. Staff need training in the knowledge and skills necessary to perform each task.

Reward is critical to a service improvement programme. Money, as would be expected, is an important and often overlooked part of the reward system of working for a living. But there are rewards beyond money which are also important.

Psychological gratification, ranging from happiness over a job well done to recognition by others that one is performing well, is a form of reward.

Follow-through

Follow-through signifies management’s commitment to make service excellence not simply a programme, but a way of doing business.

Motivational programmes can stimulate people and gain commitment and effort toward a specific improvement goal. But this is only temporary, and there is a tendency for employees to return to their earlier work standards once the motivation has worn off.

Our experience has shown that no service programme can work without the continuous commitment of management.

STAFF COMMITMENT

Once management has committed itself to a service programme it is necessary to obtain the commitment of all staff members.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Small Business Service Quality Programme: Guidelines for Effective Measurement continued

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