Customer Service week begins Monday, October 1st.

It’s a chance to celebrate those who serve and their impact on the Guest experience.

This is particularly relevant in our experience economy.

How organizations treat their teams directly impacts how they will treat their Customers – and the overall experience delivered to Guests.

If the United States is to remain a leader in the changing global economy, highest quality customer service must be a personal goal of every employee in business and industry.

-President George Bush

Proclamation 6485—National Customer Service Week
October 8, 1992

With this in mind, let’s talk about the impact of Customer Service Week and the key benefits that it can bring to your organization.

It is a Great Chance to Reward and Celebrate Those Who Serve

Too often we neglect those who are closest to our Guests – the front line team.  They are the face of your business and the ones who truly own the Guest experience.  This is a great week to recognize those who are delivering for Guests and advancing your business objectives.  Also remember that there are support team members who serve those who serve Guests, and they deserve thanks as well.  Marketers, controllers, human resources partners all ensure that the team has the tools they need, so be sure that you celebrate their contributions as well.

It Reminds Leaders of the Importance of the Front Line

We can all do with some reminding that our corporate locations don’t generate any income for the organization.  Too often executives lose touch with the front line teams that really deliver the goods.  Nothing gets made, delivered, served, or replaced without a key front line team member there owning the experience.  Guests go unserved and unsatisfied without the hard work of the talented front line.  This is a chance to remember how important they are and everyone else’s job is to ensure they are trained, equipped, and supported.

It Inspires Team Work

No one ever served Guests well in a silo.  So understanding how various teams can work together is a key way to drive a great Guest experience.  The pitfall of poor communication is that it creates confusion and inconsistencies that either frustrate Guests or the front line team (and often both).  Celebrating this week also calls attention that every department in a service location, as well as from the corporate office, must work together to create engaging experiences.  This could be front line team members coming together during busy times or headquarters listening to feedback from teams on the front line.  Both are crucial to ensuring an integrated, seamless, and effortless Guest experience.

It Boosts Team Morale

Everyone likes to know they are important and that their work matters.  This week is prime time for making sure that everyone feels appreciated and understands how their role impacts service.  When they understand their importance, they are more likely to bring a positive attitude to work and find way to say “yes” rather than “no” to Guests.  When your team feels good about what they do it shines through and the ultimate winners are the Guests they serve.

It Encourages the Whole Organization to Think About Service

We could all do with a reminder to keep Guests at the center of our thinking each day.  When we design products, processes, and programs they must all start with the Guest in mind.  Its easy to fall in love with our ideas or forget about the ultimate consumer of our services – this week challenges us to keep Guest success as our North Star.  It should inspire us to make sure that everything we create integrates well within our other programmatic elements and ultimately serves our Guests well.  In other words, it keeps us focused on the Guest point of view.

If you are looking for tips to celebrate Customer Service Week, check out this article from my archives:
Powerful Strategies for Customer Service Week

So take the time this week to celebrate Customer Service Week.  But remember that it is about more than just this week – this is the beginning of the journey, not the ultimate destination.

Keep your Guests – and those who serve them – in the forefront of your thinking each day and ensure they have a fantastic experience with your organization.

And yes, treat them like cherished friends.

Tony

Tony Johnson, CCXP
Customer Service Leader | Author |  Speaker