What does it mean for your frontline employees to be either an advocate or adversary for your brand? As a customer, your latest encounter with a business’ employees sets goodwill you have for that business, doesn’t it? Whether indirect or passive experience, your store employees are your brand ambassadors.
On a recent grocery store run as I unloaded my cart, I heard the cashier talking to his fellow employee. “I’m so tired of working this line. I can’t wait to be out of here!” Hearing this, I considered how the store manager would react if he heard this from his employee. To be sure, the manager would consider the comment a poor reflection on his store and on the company brand. Employees who talk about being bored on the job – in front of customers – are adversaries for a brand. This is a situation every company wants to avoid.
Decline of Customer Service a Sign of the Economic Times?
While no company would have turned to economic draw down as a strategy, as it turns out, many companies have reaped an unexpected benefit of the recession. Their employees’ increased engagement in serving customers has increased. What happens? In an economy riddled with high unemployment, employees translated being grateful to their employers for their jobs to being grateful to customers for providing them. The connection between customer and paycheck became clear and direct.
During economic boom periods, the reverse can also be a challenge. When jobs are plentiful and an employee feels that they can find another job easily, their motivation to perform in their current job may lag a bit. What does an employer do? How does the connection between customer and paycheck matter?
As automation constantly replaces frontline workers, how can they feel their jobs are valued by the company? How will this unvalued feeling not spill over into their customer service?
How Can You Inspire Your Frontline Employees to Be Advocate or Not Adversary for Your Brand?
Many consumer products companies have used that same principle with on-the-spot rewards programs, a strategy to increase the number of brand-advocating employees. Under this program, a mystery shopper delivers rewards ranging from gift cards to T-shirts. To earn the reward, the employee must successfully deliver on all aspects of customer service excellence. Or alternately, demonstrate specific product knowledge. Well-designed on-the-spot rewards programs reinforce to employees that important connection between customer and paycheck.
Brand support mystery shopping is when your brand is audited and good customer service is rewarded on the spot. In our experience, this makes a terrific impression on your star performers. It inspires them to continue leading your team. Additionally, training opportunities can be revealed for locations or specifically revamping employee training programs. Have you ever conducted a customer experience audit across your retail locations? Confero has years of experience building brand audits, employee incentive programs and more. To explore how we can assist your business, reach out via email.
When I have the misfortune of being a customer where employees are talking about how tired they are and how much they to leave, I want to get out of there, too!
