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Unhappy employees, even if they're trying their best to do their job well, could have a negative impact on a customer, especially if there is face-to-face interaction. For example, when a new supermarket opened close to my home, I started shopping there frequently. But although I was finding all the items I needed--and more--at a good price, I was leaving the store in a bad mood. The main reason was that I repeatedly came across employees who made me feel as if it was a burden to check me out.

The result is that I rarely go to that particular store anymore, and when I do don't look forward to it. Not to be picky, but I don't think a request to double-bag my groceries should be received with a roll of the eye or an audible huff.

As a firm believer that employee satisfaction has a tangible impact on customer experience, Anne Bowman, the recently appointed chief customer officer of Voxeo, has introduced an NPS-like survey to measure their engagement. When I caught up with her at the IQPC's Call Center Week Summit, Bowman said she considers "Voxeons," as she calls the company's employees, as her customers and wants to make sure they're happy. As Bowman puts it, just because a company's paying its employees for their work, doesn't mean it shouldn't focus on making sure they're satisfied with their job. Bowman says employees' state of mind, whether they're happy at work and enjoy their jobs, is prone to have an impact on the end customer. "We need to make sure they're motivated to work and enjoy what they're doing," says Bowan.

In order to make sure that employees are in fact happy to work for Voxeo, Bowman uses a 12-question survey focusing on their strengths and needs. This also helps the company determine employees' traits and what jobs they are best suited for. Additionally, it helps Voxeo understand whether there are areas for improvement. "We have to make sure they're getting what they need from us," Bowman said.