Let me not talk about the Frontline employees here and how they need to be motivated. Let me move a step ahead and talk about a more fundamental point here. How does a frontline employee impact my customer?
I remember what Bob Farrell once said, “Every- thing you do will end up in front of your customers”. Let us think about this for a moment. e people I recruit, the policies I make, how well do I train, what equipment I use will and does impact my customer. And my customer decides whether I stay in business or not. Isn’t this a big statement to make? But let me assure you it is true.
So, I make the right policies, recruit the right people train them well and give them all the right tools to be effective, so then I should succeed, right? No! Unfortunately nothing but ONE THING can really bring you success and in this, customer service becomes an art rather than science. So what is that one thing that can get me success? What is the secret ingredient? It is ‘You’, “Yes You”, the one who features at the lowest rung of organization hierarchy, The Frontline Staff. You are the one who brings together all the training, the policies, the tools and serves them in front of the customer. You are the one who can make or exterminate a brand. You are the one who can earn me a customer for life or turn him away forever.
But I have already done everything for you. I have given you a job, trained you, provided tools, pay you a salary so you should now be happy and take care of my customers. Sorry, did I just hear you say NO? What else do you want my friend? How can I make you happy so that in turn you make my customers happy? Tell me my friend, tell me. “Boss, let me tell you. You pay me salary because I do work for you, you train me because you want me to be able to do the job well, you give me tools because without that I cannot accomplish the job. So there is nothing in this for me really and that makes me sad.”
I am sorry but I really did not think of it this way. So what can I do for you, please do tell “I don’t know if I should say it but since you ask let me tell you that I have small needs. Some things that probably should not even cost you much.
- I need respect, to be treated like an individual and not just as one of many
- You should be fair to me, give me equal opportunities and a fair remuneration
- I should be treated considerately, I have a family and they will need me sometimes
- Provide me career growth, an opportunity to do well in my life
- I am hungry for success and you should create the environment for me to succeed
- Give new uniforms when the older one wears away
- My opinions must count. I may not be highly educated but I know what succeeds on the ground
That’s it? Will this make you happy and you will keep my customers happy? Is it really that simple to keep you happy? “Yes, it is. Just try it. Honestly”.