Great People Create a Great Customer Experience
You may have noticed that a few of my recent blog entries (and a couple of my 1to1 Weekly “Reporter’s Notebook” articles) focus on the close connection between employee engagement and customer satisfaction. Among many the presentations I attended recently there was one common thread: You can’t train for attitude, you have to hire it.
What caught my attention most was how similar the comments are. Check out these excerpts:
“You can’t train people to do this,” said Jason Ward, director of customer commitment for JetBlue Airways. “You have to hire people like this.”
(Watch for the full story in the Dec 18 issue of 1to1 Weekly.)
“You can’t train for this,” Build-a-Bear Workshop’s Chief Marketing Bear Teresa Kroll said (in "'Yes' Is a Profitable Approach"). “You have to hire the right talent.”
According to Bryan Johnston, vice president of global marketing for Burton Snowboards, the company looks for people who are mavens and influencers: people who love to share their expertise and experience with the product and sport – and who can listen well and be empathetic to customers.
(Watch for the full story in the Dec 18 issue of 1to1 Weekly.)
Winston Wright, who heads marketing for Nokia’s Experience Centers ("There's No 'I' in Team"), looks for people who are passionate about Nokia’s products and delivering a stellar customer experience.
“We look for people who fit our ten core values,” said Jane Judd, senior manager of customer loyalty for Zappos.com.
(Watch for the full story in the Dec 4 issue of 1to1 Weekly.)
Mrs. Fields Cookies founder Debbie Fields Rose ("Recipe for Success") asked [prospective employees] to sing Happy Birthday to her. The idea was that if they would belt out the song at her request, they would be more likely to be responsive to customers’ requests.
Steinway Street, the main shopping thoroughfare in my neighborhood, is packed with stores staffed by people who act like they’re doing you a big favor by paying attention to you at all. But there are a few stores where the staff is exceptionally pleasant and helpful – a notable difference from the other shops. The managers of these stores are all drawing from the same talent pool. Yet some manage to uncover and hire real stars (I define “stars” here as customer-focused employees), people who, like the employees of the companies above, seem to enjoy delivering a great customer experience.
What do you look for in your team?
