4 KEY JOB RETENTION QUALITIES EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE
In any firm that wants to increase its revenue and profitability, customer satisfaction remains key. The level of service provided by your employees can easily win or lose your clients. The best defence for staff in times of crisis that result in job cuts is the customer. A satisfied consumer will tell others about you, resulting in more business for you. The dissatisfied customer will do the same.
Mary is a soft-spoken lady, who surprised many after being the only one of a seven-person team to be retained as the rest were laid off from a fashion store. How would the most unlikely employee be kept while the rest were pushed out despite their dalliance with fashion and beauty, which garnered them client admiration?
I am an esteemed customer at this amazing fashion store, popular for its highly-rated African attire. The decision to lay off 6 of the more fashion equipped employees and retain Mary, who eschewed fashion in favour of modest attire, piqued my interest.
I chose to speak with the manager because I was curious about how they came to their decision. Our discussion cleared the way for lessons important to anyone hoping to keep their job, especially during a period of uncertainty. Employers, looking to develop and keep a high-performing team of employees may find this beneficial as well.
"Covid 19 hit us so hard that we had to make that painful decision about our staff," George, the manager, calmly explained.
As I would learn from him, the management planned and conducted a customer survey, whose results would be merged with each employee's personalized scorecard on important company performance indicators. Anyone who received a score of less than 3 out of 5 was laid off. Only Mary had received a compelling 3.5, allowing her to keep her work and receive a raise.
The clients’ comments explained everything, demonstrating why she was the all-time sales leader:
“Unlike the others, she is very kind and friendly. She has a way of communicating to the customer that makes them feel valued”
“She is my favorite, at times it can be find the right attire but she is always ready to help out”
“I admire her patience, she remains calm when I am frustrated or not content by my choice. She makes it appear very okay and even goes ahead to help until I am satisfied”
“I don’t know how she does it but it is always interesting to see how she quickly delivers on my orders”
It was obvious that the clients seemed to be talking about what defines excellent customer service and delivery. In this case, the following qualities stood out:
1) Friendly and warm- There is no room for a second impression. That smile and warm greeting to your client is magical. It shapes the perception of the client in your favour.
2) Empathy – Making a decision from a multitude of choices is not an easy task. A small act of guidance to the client saves them pain and time all while endearing you to them.
3) Patience- As clients seek maximum satisfaction, they are likely to make changes to the services requested. Others would take longer to decide. Patience is crucial to ensure that the client doesn’t feel like they are a bother.
4) Efficiency - People frequently overpromise only to underdeliver, frustrating the client. Poor planning could easily lead to one taking several order requests at once only to deliver late, causing harm to the clients, some of whom have set timeframes.
In any firm that wants to increase its revenue and profitability, customer satisfaction remains key. The level of service provided by your employees can easily win or lose your clients. The best defence for staff in times of crisis that result in job cuts is the customer. A satisfied consumer will tell others about you, resulting in more business for you. The dissatisfied customer will do the same. However, keep in mind that bad news spreads faster than good news.
Start by improving or gaining important customer satisfaction qualities for yourself or your staff. Talk to us today and benefit from our high-quality and affordable training packages. Call us for a free consultation with our Master trainer.