Experience the Competitive Advantages of Strategic Company Culture
Most companies list customer service as their main competitive advantage and make it a goal to improve for each coming year. However, not all succeed. Why? Hint: It all comes down to company cultures, and today we’re going to tell you why.
The priorities and focus for a company extend down to the customer support and sales teams within that organization. Ultimately, the behaviour at those levels reflects them. For example: If the company only cares about the bottom line, this will show in the customer experience.
The reason an organization delivers good or bad customer service comes down to one thing; what is happening on the inside of that organization.
To sum it up in two words: Company Culture.
(Part of strategic customer service involves dealing with sale objections like a pro. Learn how to do just that in this post)
Engaged Employees = Engaged Customers
AS THE OLD MANAGEMENT ADAGE GOES: “YOU CAN’T HAVE DEEPLY ENGAGED CUSTOMERS WITHOUT DEEPLY ENGAGED EMPLOYEES.”
Company culture has a huge impact on customer service. Great customer service is more than just hiring the right people, it is about hiring people with great attitudes, offering the best customer service training, and creating an environment that they will thrive in. In order for a company to put its best foot forward, it must set an example of customer service behaviour from the top. Implementing a positive and fun company culture will instil loyalty, drive, and ambition in all employees and ensure that they work hard for the company that they ‘love’ to work for – they will want to see it succeed.
Company leaders must treat their employees how they want their customers to be treated – setting an example at the top so that the only attitude trickling down is a positive one. As the old management adage goes: “You can’t have deeply engaged customers without deeply engaged employees.”
(A customer-focused company culture is one necessity for a modern, successful company. Take a look at this post next to learn why diversity, equity, and inclusion are another)
Customer-Focused Company Culture
When we think of customer-focused company culture a few companies come to mind, including Alberta-based WestJet, Google, and Apple.
(Take a look at this post about River City Events to see another example of a business with an incredible customer-focused company culture)
If your company is amazing to work for, if people love coming to work, and if there is a contagious enthusiasm about how they are treated, then the customer is going to feel it. After all, isn’t that what a customer service-focused culture is about?
How can companies accomplish great company culture that results in a customer-focused culture? Take a look at Part 2 of this post where we expand upon these five key ideas.
Did you learn a lot about company culture in this post? Here are three more to read next:
- Business Necessities in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- 5 Steps to Resolving Customer Conflict & Managing Upset Customers
- Setting Effective Sales Goals with The Rule of 5
This post was first published in 2016, but it was updated just for you in 2021.
