New research conducted by the University of Missouri in the United States has produced findings which suggest that small-business owners should care for the needs of their employees as much as the needs of their clients and customers. By adhering to this approach, it is suggested that CEOs will boost the popularity of their businesses by increasing customer satisfaction and their potential number of customers.
According to Christopher Groening, assistant professor of marketing in the Robert J. Trulaske Sr. College of Business at the University of Missouri:
“You might think that as an owner, you only need to pay attention to the customers, providing them with what they want. Yet, we found that keeping your employees satisfied with their work experience, providing them with challenges, and allowing them to have a sense of ownership in the business can have a tremendous effect on customer satisfaction and loyalty.”
Groening also asserts that taking a holistic approach to the relationship between management, staff and customers should be used as a means of increasing employee satisfaction and therefore productivity:
“It’s important for C.E.Os. to know that they have a large impact on customer service without ever talking with a customer or implementing a new customer service policy.”
In order to achieve this, Groening has recommended several strategies based on data from the survey, which help to create a comprehensive customer service-policy. These strategies include: training and empowering employees so they are able to have more involvement in decision-making processes, hiring managers who can act as mentors for staff giving them an opportunity to get, “hands-on“ involvement in a greater range of business tasks, and creating a positive working environment with the application of flexible-working hours and other benefits.
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