Customers are at the heart of every business and the stream of happy customers is a blessing for the company. The eternal question that pops up for each company is how to get the constant stream of customers that want to do business with you and make them come back again and again. And the answer is much closer than you might think. It can be achieved by making your employees satisfied and engaged.

Over the past few years, the correlation between employee satisfaction and increased productivity and overall revenue has become apparent. Companies with proven high customer service levels rank higher in job satisfaction/engagement level. Before diving into detail let’s make the notion of job satisfaction clear. There is a difference between job satisfaction and job engagement, which lies beneath the surface.

Satisfaction vs. Engagement

Keeping your employees happy is not enough for improving customer service and boosting the company’s overall revenue. To be correct, job satisfaction is not the same as engagement at work is, though they may seem to be similar. Satisfied employees sometimes do the bare minimum just to retain their job, because it satisfies their basic needs. Their performance can be satisfactory or even above average; they are not going to leave the job either. But they won’t go the extra mile to satisfy their customers.

Unlike satisfied ones, the engaged employees show more commitment to their work. They will go beyond and above at their workplace to help the company succeed because they see themselves growing within it. Simply put, engaged employees are more likely to improve customer relationships and satisfy even the smallest customers’ needs. But as long as you understand what it means, the way you call it makes actually no difference.

How to improve your customer service

So, if you are a customer-oriented type of business, a high customer service level can be achieved by improving the employee satisfaction level. According to recent studies, companies that excel in customer service have twice as many satisfied employees.

When it comes to employee satisfaction money seems to be the easiest way to deliver engagement, productivity, and retention. But over time it has proven to be the most ineffective one. Satisfied and engaged employees need something bigger to engage them, rather than just their bread and butter. Though people differ and their needs either, there are some useful tips to make your employees not just happy, but engaged as well.

• Offer training and upskilling. Many employees need an opportunity for advancement and improvement.
• Offer promotions regularly. Employees should get the idea that their new skills are going to ensure a solid career path within the company.
• Offer to telecommute if required. This option will provide an opportunity to attract or retain the most talented candidates. Working parents or remote workers would appreciate that, especially with the pandemic outbreak.
• Make employees feel appreciated. Ask your employees about their needs and concerns.
• Create a supportive working environment. Feeling free to approach your immediate manager to express your ideas or concerns means a lot. It makes your employees feel listened to and heard, especially if any positive changes follow the conversation.
• Avoid micromanagement. When productivity is not defined as a top priority and employees feel that the responsibility is on their side, they tend to do more than they are asked to.

There are actually many more, you just need to make sure you know your employees’ needs as well as your customers’. Most businesses tend to put their customers first, which is right in terms of the customer-focused strategy. But neglecting your employees’ needs is a bit short-sighted. Content and engaged employees translate into happy customers. Engaged employees can satisfy even the smallest needs of your customers.

 

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