Employer branding
5 Ways to Engage Employees and Win New Customers
Glassdoor Team
Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | Aug 27, 2016
What does it take to be a customer-focused company? Consistently high ratings for customer service are not just the result of better user experience design, call center training or meticulously mapped out customer journeys. A recent study from Forrester Research showed that high customer experience ratings are correlated with higher Glassdoor ratings.
If the secret to creating a loyal base of customers is creating an engaged workforce, how do you do both? Our new eBook, The Link Between Employee Engagement and Customer Experience shows you how. Read below for our high-level recommendations, and download the eBook for specific action items to get you started.
1. Create a values-based culture.
Why do top rated CX companies get high marks for culture and values? Their culture puts stated values into action.
Analysis of values statements by Forrester Research found that both top- and bottom-rated CX companies shared similar values, such as excellent customer treatment, innovation, excellence and leadership and teamwork. But the top performing companies shared a serious advantage: they actually walked the talk.
Building a culture that lives its values takes a comprehensive effort. Inspirational posters and presentations mean nothing if they don’t relate to employees’ daily work. Top-rated companies articulate values in relatable ways, and continually reinforce their values through storytelling, employee recognition and accountability.
2. Inform and Involve the CEO.
The CEO is the most visible embodiment of a company’s values. If “passion” and “integrity” are company values, and the CEO is unmoved by small wins or known for mismanaging at the top, it’s hard for employees to stay engaged. Leaders who are authentic, trustworthy and engaged with staff will inspire employees to similar behavior.
3. Help your CEO become an advocate for employees.
It can be lonely at the top. The day-to-day concerns of a CEO are very different from newly hired employees. When armed with information about what’s really going on inside the company, CEOs can make better decisions on behalf of staff, thereby increasing employee engagement, customer service levels and profits.
4. Make your employees your ambassadors.
According to Jobvite, employee referrals make up 40 percent of hires but only 7 percent of applications. Even if you don’t have a strong referral program in place, access to reviews on sites like Glassdoor means that employees’ “willingness to recommend” you as a great place to work can be one of your best recruiting assets.
5. Monitor your metrics.
As the old adage goes, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Is anyone in your organization looking at customer service ratings, sales data and employee engagement all at once? Because the data proves these are inter-related, it takes a joint effort across departments to track the numbers, make the correlations and problem-solve going forward.
A final word
Successful customer-obsessed companies are successful for a reason, and research confirms the direct role corporate culture plays in that success. One of the great payoffs is a more satisfied customer base. For more inspiration, download our new eBook, The Link Between Employee Engagement and Customer Experience.
If the secret to creating a loyal base of customers is creating an engaged workforce, how do you do both? Our new eBook, The Link Between Employee Engagement and Customer Experience shows you how. Read below for our high-level recommendations, and download the eBook for specific action items to get you started.
1. Create a values-based culture.
Why do top rated CX companies get high marks for culture and values? Their culture puts stated values into action.
Analysis of values statements by Forrester Research found that both top- and bottom-rated CX companies shared similar values, such as excellent customer treatment, innovation, excellence and leadership and teamwork. But the top performing companies shared a serious advantage: they actually walked the talk.
Building a culture that lives its values takes a comprehensive effort. Inspirational posters and presentations mean nothing if they don’t relate to employees’ daily work. Top-rated companies articulate values in relatable ways, and continually reinforce their values through storytelling, employee recognition and accountability.
2. Inform and Involve the CEO.
The CEO is the most visible embodiment of a company’s values. If “passion” and “integrity” are company values, and the CEO is unmoved by small wins or known for mismanaging at the top, it’s hard for employees to stay engaged. Leaders who are authentic, trustworthy and engaged with staff will inspire employees to similar behavior.
3. Help your CEO become an advocate for employees.
It can be lonely at the top. The day-to-day concerns of a CEO are very different from newly hired employees. When armed with information about what’s really going on inside the company, CEOs can make better decisions on behalf of staff, thereby increasing employee engagement, customer service levels and profits.
4. Make your employees your ambassadors.
According to Jobvite, employee referrals make up 40 percent of hires but only 7 percent of applications. Even if you don’t have a strong referral program in place, access to reviews on sites like Glassdoor means that employees’ “willingness to recommend” you as a great place to work can be one of your best recruiting assets.
5. Monitor your metrics.
As the old adage goes, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Is anyone in your organization looking at customer service ratings, sales data and employee engagement all at once? Because the data proves these are inter-related, it takes a joint effort across departments to track the numbers, make the correlations and problem-solve going forward.
A final word
Successful customer-obsessed companies are successful for a reason, and research confirms the direct role corporate culture plays in that success. One of the great payoffs is a more satisfied customer base. For more inspiration, download our new eBook, The Link Between Employee Engagement and Customer Experience.Glassdoor Team
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