Respecting your Staff

A good friend and mentor of mine, Deanna Tucci Schmitt, responded to my entry about customer service ("What an Attitude!"):

"One way to ensure great customer service from your staff is to treat your staff as well (or better) as you treat your customers. Do you agree?"

The short answer is a resounding YES!

Do you make it a habit to yell at your customers or make them feel inferior for getting in the wrong line or asking the wrong question? Why not? Don't you need to teach these people how to read signs or read the labels on the product?

No? So why would you treat your staff that way? Because you pay them? You pay your customer too. What you paid for the product, the advertising, the building and the time you spend to sell them, is what you pay your customer. In return they give you money for your particular product or service. Your staff you compensate with cash, facilities and resources, and they create the product, support the product, sell it. Whichever you choose, whatever you call it, they are providing the mechanism - or supporting it - that you use to generate income (or justify your salary if you are not the owner.)

Think about a time you were insulted or beaten down (c'mon it happens to all of us at some time in our lives.) Did you feel like jumping up and screaming "Thank You Sir, May I have another?!" or did you slink off plotting creative demises for the person that done you wrong? If the latter, remember that the person you may be demeaning now is going out to deal with your customers.

Isn't that a pleasant thought?

Thanks for passing that nugget on Deanna!