Why Your Employees Don’t Give Excellent Customer Service

Running a business can be hard enough without issues that come up among your staff.  No matter what type of business you own, how many employees work for you, or where employees are on the totem pole, it seems like there is always something getting in the way of providing excellent customer service.  Here are a few reasons why:

Your staff is disgruntled.  Policies that are not followed by everyone, including senior staff, management and owners, or are inconsistently managed.

You ignore some employees.  Every employee deserves to be treated with respect.  If you don’t see them on a regular basis because of how work areas and paths are laid out, make a special effort to visit the areas they work in.

You micromanage.  Trust them.  Give your employees the freedom to work on their projects and tasks without second guessing or looking over their shoulder.  Provide boundaries with clear instructions on what to do if they hit a wall.

You criticize or correct them in front of others.  Always have these conversations behind closed doors.

You don’t play by the rules.  Yes, you are the boss, but employees take your lead and rarely ever see a difference in each of you breaking the rules.  They don’t care that you are the owner and/or manager and on call 24/7.  They still see you doing something wrong.  To them, if you work there, you as an employee are governed by the same rules.

They don’t know the rules.  Whatever you do, don’t assume that everyone knows what the rules and policies are.  Be very clear by putting them in writing and requiring a signature to acknowledge receipt and understanding.  When situations come up that require verbal or written follow up, each person must be treated the same with the same consequences.

Happy employees give excellent customer service.  Unhappy ones don’t care.

Robin Richter is a Human Resources Expert and an avid motorcycle enthusiast.  As a Creative Memories Consultant, she helps preserve memories through scrapbooking.  Visit her Creative Memories website to see how this “Queen of the Scrappers” can help you.