By Biz Brand Analyst
No matter the size of a company, what commonly happens when you hit a certain stride is that comfort sets in. It isn’t always apparent, and it doesn’t always end in company downfall or employee revolt. It rather results in dissatisfied consumers and clients.
There are signs that your company may be too comfortable and in need of a change. Here are the most notable ones.
1. LETTING EMOTIONS MAKE DECISIONS FOR YOU:
Work can be stressful at times but that is no excuse for allowing emotions to get involved. Oftentimes employees or even managers make the mistake of letting heated conversations between themselves and customers reach the point where they act out of emotion. For example, by denying a customer a service because the customer raised their voice out of anger, a company potentially loses that customer’s business.
If nothing else, letting your emotions get the best of you once makes it easier for them to get the best of you again. Employees should always understand the customers first before seeking to be understood themselves. It’s very unlikely customers are contacting you with the intent to be spiteful. More than likely, they are looking for someone to help them with their problem. Remember, your hurt feelings will last a minute. A lost customer will probably be forever.
By telling your employees to treat each customer as the most important customer, you give them the freedom to do right by them. With this practice, your employees never hesitate to pick up the phone, making happier employees and in turn happy customers. Your business will never fail if the customers are happy.
2. COMPANIES DON’T GIVE BACK:
Giving back doesn’t have to be charitable work. You can give back to your customers through discounts and promotions. This helps them appreciate your company more and feel that they saved a lot of money. A couple of businesses fail to do this because they are mean about their money. Guess what? Customers will see right through it.
I believe it’s your responsibility as a company to give back in an effort to better your community and in turn, the world. Giving back fosters a community of “people doing good,” which is what our company stands for. On top of boosting morale, giving back also helps us appreciate how much we have.
3.NOT REGULARLY TRAINING YOUR EMPLOYEES:
A lot of lip service is paid to training when a company is first established. Often there are training regiments and procedures in place to audit an employee’s performance. However, when a company grows quickly or aims to cut costs, training sessions can become less of a priority or even an inconvenience. When a company allows training to fall by the wayside, they are communicating that the service they are providing is just “good enough.” The real issue isn’t a busy schedule; rather the attitude that “good enough” is acceptable.
4. LACK OF DISCIPLINE, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
The art of discipline cannot be overvalued in any company. A manager might avoid using discipline for fear of being seen as the “bad guy,” but more often than not he or she will come off as lazy, incompetent or apathetic. This can cause employees to lose respect for them. A lack of discipline can also translate into a lack of feedback, causing employees to feel stressed by not knowing whether or not they are doing a good job.
Discipline often gets harder the higher one climbs up the corporate ladder, but if a CEO can’t find it in his or her heart to discipline the managers, one can hardly expect managers to do the same for their people. Discipline always starts at the top.
5. THEY FORGET TO THANK THEIR CUSTOMERS:
By thanking your customers, you are constantly reminding yourselves, as well as the customer, how valuable he or she is. Your customers don’t have to give you their business. If you’re selling socks, so is someone else. Remind yourselves that appreciating and thanking our customers is essential to maintain a long-term relationship.
THE TAKEAWAY
Becoming too comfortable is not synonymous with complacency – sometimes overlooking the simple details can cause a decline in the perception of your brand, and make you forget just howmuch every customer counts. Revamp your efforts today to keep your business successful