How an Authentic Organisational Culture Drives Customer Service Excellence
When you already have a healthy workplace culture, coupled with positive customer experience, then business should be awesome, right?
Building a brand, however, is another story.
For your business to reach its full potential, that of a trusted and well-loved brand, your company culture should consistently align with the promise of a grand experience for your customers.
The Ritz Carlton, for example, is unquestionably the worldwide gold standard for customer service excellence. This success is inspired by their business’ philosophy to regard employees with the same importance and respect as the customers they serve.
“We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen” — is the guiding mantra at The Ritz. What this looks like in actual practise is the company’s relentless focus on employee engagement to bring about the highest level of customer experience.
This example of brand authenticity at The Ritz Carlton, where workplace culture and customer experience are correctly aligned, applies across all industries. Here is how you can shape an outstanding organisational culture, forge a strong bond with customers and elevate your brand.
1. Identify the behaviours that need to change
What most leaders get wrong is a fixed mindset around culture. It can and should move along with the shifting needs of the business. Culture is essentially a set of positive behaviours which can be reconfigured. For example, encouraging tighter camaraderie among multi-functional teams, where there was none before, to improve service delivery.
2. Encourage everyone to be brand ambassadors
First, instil confidence in your team by consistently appreciating them for their contribution to the overall business success. All this goodwill you’ve created with your employees will inspire them to make each encounter with your customer memorable and meaningful.
3. Focus on employee engagement
The Ritz Carlton’s success is primarily attributed to its investment in employee engagement and retention. Often, companies commoditise employees — if it doesn’t work out, they can easily be replaced. What they don’t see are the mounting costs of turnover, recruitment and training over time. On the other hand, investing in employee engagement energises organisational culture, which in turn drives performance and revenue.
4. Reinforce culture with learning and development
Design a training and development plan to address skill gaps and promote behaviours that support your organisation’s culture. Having a structured learning and development plan sends the message to employees that you are invested in their overall success.
Learn how you can create a culture of high-performance and authenticity in your organisation from leaders who have done it already! Sign up for the Authentic Leadership Summit 2020 and meet Australia’s top CEOs and MDs to help you develop your leadership through authenticity, openness, and trust.
