by F G 'Buck' Rodgers

The key to success in the 1990s is to establish the operating philosophy that the customer is king and people are your greatest asset. Then weave that commitment into the very fabric of the organisation. It involves the following five principles:

1 Commit to certain beliefs

Organizations that stand the test of time have in place a top-down commitment to stated beliefs. These include respect for the individual, exceptional customer service, and daily excellence. Beliefs and innovation come from getting people together and brainstorming. Beliefs should epitomise the way you want to do business. So many companies never bother to convey their principles or beliefs or what they’re really trying to do.

Having a top-down commitment to customer service and creating a value-oriented environment means much more than just paying lip service to the old adage, 'the customer is always right.' The truly customer-driven organisation will have in place a set of beliefs and principles that are articulated from the top of the organisation. These principles are understood and practised by everyone in the organisation and are easily recognised by anyone who comes in contact with the organisation. They are the bedrock for the way a company does business. They shape how the company is perceived by customers, competitors, as well as helping build internal self-esteem.

2 Communicate operating philosophy

Everyone in the organisation knows how important superior customer service tied to people skill development is to organisational success. Managers, at all levels, must communicate the operating philosophy throughout the organisation. Several vehicles can help communicate to employees the organisation’s commitment to the customer. These include:
· Operating plans to provide a basis for how the organisation does business.
· Education programs that convey the philosophy to employees at the entry level and throughout ongoing training.
· Meetings, whether annual, quarterly or monthly, that regularly help to carry and reinforce the message through the ranks of the organisation.
· Company publications, bulletin boards, and other written forms of communication from management that reflect the operating philosophy and cite examples of real-life situations.
· Action by managers throughout the organisation is the most effective method of communicating an operating philosophy. Management leads by example on a day-to-day basis.
· Performance plans that are written so each employee knows how this philosophy relates to his or her particular area of responsibility. The 'customer connection' should be explicitly spelled out in every job description.

When your organisation is truly customer driven - when you have clearly communicated your operating philosophy throughout the organisation - exciting things will happen. Your employees will speak the customers’ language. Each will feel empowered to find the solutions to customer problems, and all will have the commitment to give value. Everyone in the organisation, regardless of position or title, 'sells' to the customer.

3 Train and develop every person.

Quality and service depend upon an organisation’s training and development programs for all employees, both at the entry level and on a continuing basis.

Training and development are key factors in the success of customer-driven organisations. Everyone who enters the organisation should be immediately oriented to the 'way we do things around here'. They should clearly understand the importance of the customer and how their jobs connect with the customer. Once this initial training is completed, each individual should have an ongoing development plan focusing on creating and maintaining customer commitment.

Prior to any training, make sure you have the right set of talent in your organisation. Is there a discipline to your recruiting? Personally, I wouldn’t let anyone in personnel hire my people. That’s the manager’s job. If you’re going to hold people accountable for results, give them the freedom to choose who they want.

4 Measure performance, supply feedback.

One of the most critical jobs is setting priorities: narrowing tasks so the organisation knows what’s required. This means having a clear set of goals, objectives and measurements.

Once in place, make periodic checks to see if these goals are being achieved. Many people set objectives, but few sit down to a day of reckoning. In this inspection process the manager must say more than, 'I’m here to inspect.' He or she needs to say, 'I’m here to help. Let’s try to understand the problem.' And to ask, 'Am I contributing to it?' Maybe there’s something else needed in the business, such as more training or more education, or maybe the manager isn’t providing guidance. What’s lacking in American business are goals that can be transformed into specific measurements for each individual. The trouble begins when you emphasise a myriad of things, and nobody knows whether to spend more hours writing a proposal, or calling on prospects, or servicing existing customers. It’s the allocation of time and resources for everything you do that counts. The key is in the structure and discipline each person brings to his or her work.

Also, an organisation must constantly listen to its customers to ensure that their needs are being met. It can keep in touch with customers through surveys, focus groups or industry councils. Employees should also be surveyed for their views on the company and its products or services. They must also be given the opportunity to make suggestions for improved customer relations. These findings should then be measured against company objectives. Necessary adjustments should be made and the results should be conveyed to employees.

Measurement and feedback systems must be in place throughout the company. These systems, whether they are as complex as consumer satisfaction indexes or as simple as customer surveys and focus groups, will help keep the overall quality of an organisation’s products and services at its highest level. An organisation must continually check in with customers to ask, 'How are we doing?' Every function within the organisation exists to satisfy the customer, and this begins with employee responsibility.

5 Give rewards and recognition.

Employees should be recognised for the contributions they make toward creating customer commitment. Organisations should not think of monetary rewards alone as forms of recognition. A special luncheon or night out for the employee and spouse, a 'hero-of-the-month' award, or even a simple thank you for a job well done from management are strong motivators as well.

Nothing encourages an employee’s commitment to customers more than recognition from management. It’s important to catch people doing things right and to say publicly, 'Thanks for a job well done.' Although most people immediately think of monetary rewards when discussing this topic, most research indicated this is a short-term motivator. Having an exciting, stimulating job and working with other people who are similarly motivated rank as the number one and number two motivators in most organisations. Recognition should not be limited just to the employees of an organisation. Calling up a customer and saying thank you for the business is a very simple act, but few take advantage of its benefits. In today’s highly competitive environment, this small act can help an organisation rise above its competition.

If you want to maintain old customers, create new customers, and make people want to do business with you, then your organisation must strive to provide the best service of any company in the world, not just within the industry. The secret to providing good customer service lies in doing the little things well the first time - and all the time.

Finally, by providing the right environment and giving people a chance to excel, you can achieve any goal. There’s nothing really sophisticated or revolutionary about leadership or good management. It’s doing one thousand things one percent better, not one thing 1,000 percent better. Once in a while you get a big hit. But to me, it’s a world of inches. You move to a higher level of excellence. Then you attempt to go to a new level by trying something new. You keep inching up and reaching for your utopia. But in reality, most of us don’t find utopia. We just work toward it.

If you establish beliefs and principles, set clear objectives with the right priorities—and give people the chance to excel - you can achieve any goal. Above all, live with integrity. People can count on what you say as well as what you do. Ultimately, it comes down to you and me - the most valuable resources of any organisation.