“If you want great customer service, you need to start by defining what great looks like.”
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is assuming people know what great customer service looks like. Most employees want to do a good job. The problem is they often haven’t been shown exactly what “good” means. Without clear expectations, everyone develops their own version of excellent service. Before long, the consistency you expect disappears.
A listener shared that they work in local government and have noticed employees slowly drifting away from the basics. Things like greeting people warmly, answering the phone professionally, and creating a welcoming experience aren’t the norm. Those behaviors may seem small, but they shape how people feel about the organization.
The solution to getting back to these basics isn’t complicated. Start by defining the standard. Make sure everyone knows your expectations.
If someone calls your office, how should the phone be answered?
When a customer walks through the door, what should happen in the first 30 seconds? How should employees end every interaction?
When those expectations are written down, practiced, and discussed regularly, they become part of the culture instead of depending on individual personalities.
The other thing to remember is that culture requires constant attention. If leaders stop talking about customer service, employees naturally focus on other priorities. That’s why great organizations reinforce their standards every day. They coach and recognize positive examples. Customer service becomes part of every meeting instead of something discussed once during orientation.
One approach I’ve always found helpful is creating the “Perfect Day for Your Customer.” Imagine every interaction going exactly as you hoped. What would customers experience? What would employees say and do? Once you can describe that experience, you can begin building the standards that make it happen consistently.
Good customer service doesn’t happen by hoping people do the right thing. It happens when leaders make the right thing clear, make sure employees are practicing it every day, and give people the support to deliver it with confidence.
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Episode Chapters
[00:01:12] A Customer Service Challenge in Local Government
[00:03:01] Creating Standards for Every Customer Interaction
[00:05:25] How Leaders Build a Service-Focused Culture
[00:08:23] Learning from Customer Frustration
[00:10:08] Defining the Perfect Day for Your Customer