I expect my post this week will generate some controversy. Well, here goes…
An old adage has it that the “customer comes first.” I say, that’s WRONG!
I believe hiring great employees, equipping and training them well, and encouraging them must come first! Think about it: Can your team really be great to your customers if they’re not great and if they’re not treated great?
Extraordinary business leaders know that their employees must come first. Stephen Covey said it best, “Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” So, it has to start with them. In a world transformed by technology and social media, today’s business leaders need to make sure they have the right people onboard, train them well, and create a culture of trust.
And, relative to technology — you knew I’d get to technology at some point — your employees should like using the tools you give them. With the growing trend of BYOT/BYOD (bring your own technology/device to work), employees want to use at work what they use in their personal lives. Further, and as I’ve said before, a new generation will be entering the workforce for whom a desktop computer is a quaint relic of their parents’ generation. That’s why it’s so important to incorporate mobile technology and a mobile strategy into your plans going forward.
Take Covey’s advice to heart and put your employees first. I promise that, if you do, the result will be customers who feel like they come first. In turn, you’ll realize increased revenue and better customer retention.
