You know how important it is to focus on customer satisfaction, but if you’re focused too hard on the customers themselves, you might want to adjust that focus. The key to getting happy customers is having happy employees.
Happy Employees Make Happy Customers
A recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science took a look at employee satisfaction trajectories and compared them to trajectories for customer satisfaction and loyalty over the same period. Their conclusion? The trajectory of employee satisfaction, up or down, had a strong impact on customer satisfaction in any business where employees and customers interact.
A similar study from Glassdoor looked at close to 300 employers and their average rating among employees and compared this with each company’s American Customer Satisfaction Index. A one-star improvement in a company’s Glassdoor rating corresponded to a 1.3 point improvement in customer satisfaction scores with the ACSI.
And if you need proof that all this can actually affect your bottom line, consider the 2006 study in the Journal of Marketing that found a 4.6% boost in stock market value for every 1% improvement in customer satisfaction with the ACSI.
Happy Employees Keep People Engaged
People who like their work put their whole selves into it. If your employees’ work is dealing with customers, each customer is going to feel valued and important as employees invest in every work interaction. Valued customers have a good experience and keep coming back.
Happy Employees Make People Feel Good
Imagine a deadly-serious customer service agent on the line with a customer. The agent may be completely invested in doing his job, perhaps for other reasons than true employee satisfaction, but he’s also not cheerful or friendly. Customers want to talk to friendly agents.
Happy Employees Speak Well Of Your Business
More than ever before, consumers want to work with businesses that share their values and do good in the world. When your employees are happy, it communicates that you’re a great employer. In other words, you’re one of the world’s good guys.
So how do you make your employees happy? A few thoughtful changes to a team’s daily routine can go a long way in promoting happiness, humor, and gratitude.
Create A Homey Work Environment
Loving where you work is a stronger motivator than money. Don’t underestimate the power of better-quality accountant supplies, an actually nice break room, or just some encouraging leadership in ensuring your employees want to be at work.
Encourage breaks so your people can stay focused when they are on task. Breaks are crucial to higher productivity and concentration.
Encourage Your Team’s Work/Life Balance
Every employer values people willing to go the extra mile for them. But if you’re endlessly demanding that “extra mile,” your people are going to burn out.
Lead the way in showing your people that they can give their all at work while still maintaining a healthy personal life.
Offer Help When You Can
Sometimes, it doesn’t pay to cut every possible corner. When you invest in tools that help your people do their jobs, you are actually investing in your business.
Consider your choice of call center software, for example. Great software empowers agents to perform well. Call center quality assurance software lets you monitor interactions and improve agent performance gradually, while omnichannel integrations give agents the information they need right at their fingertips for reduced frustration.
Set Reasonable And Actionable Goals
The only thing worse than having goals you can’t reach are goals you can’t even identify. Make your goals clear and actionable and something the whole team can work together to achieve.
Even better? Demonstrate to employees how to set and meet personal goals, too. Show them you have an interest in them as people and not just as the means to an end.
