When does employee loyalty cross the line and become management irresponsibility? We are fortunate in that the overwhelming majority of our clients have a deep desire to support and care for their frontline teams. They do this for many reasons; some altruistic, some not. Some care for their teams because they are genuinely concerned for their well being. Others, while not driven by a deep compassion for their employees, demonstrate care because it is in the best interest of the business. Regardless, these employers have a common understanding that taking care of their employees helps them take care of their customers. They recognize it is just good business.

We frequently run across organizations who under the banner of loyalty retain employees for extended periods of time that have no business working in a frontline capacity due to their poor attitude, inability to engage or influence customers, or both. It is in these situations that many well-intended leaders fall. What they fail to recognize is while employers have an obligation to provide all of the communication, tools, training, support, compensation, recognition and other resources necessary for the employee to achieve an expected level of performance, the employee has a reciprocal obligation to at least “attempt” to achieve that level of performance by using the resources the company has provided. Notice I did not say obligation to immediately achieve the expected level of performance, as someone could be improving month-to-month and still be below the target.

There are many reasons why someone may underperform. It could be a learning difficulty, an inability to acclimate quickly to new technology, an illness or a traumatic life event that is inhibiting their effort short-term. These things can be forgiven if the underperformer is earnest in attempting to improve. Not attempting, however, is inexcusable and usually a sign of a deeper problem. If an employee is unwilling to try and improve when their employer has invested in their skills development, what they are really saying is “The company goals and needs are not important to me. I am going to do my own thing.” This mindset can become not only damaging, but viral and contaminating, as the renegade performer’s interests may not be aligned with the company’s interests. An employer who allows this to happen repeatedly is not being loyal; they are using the banner of loyalty to mask a weak-kneed unwillingness to make tough decisions – one of the true hallmarks of great leadership.

Chris Brown - Senior Vice President, Frontline Performance Group

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”  – Warren Buffet

Today’s customers are making smarter choices. They are more vocal, more cost driven and less brand-loyal. Among the key consumer expectations are: convenience, competency, proactivity, personalized service, and studies continue to show that frugality and conscious consuming are still among the biggest retail trends in the U.S.

Sensible retailers are making smarter choices too! Many businesses, especially those that are driven by discretionary consumer spending, are well advised to improve the customer experience.

Recent studies revealed that in the U.S. alone, over 70% of consumers have ended a business relationship due to poor service, two-thirds have taken their business to the competition, and the remainder just STOPPED – decided not to purchase at all! Moreover, when you consider the potential impact of social media, even one lost customer can equate to many, many more.

So how do you best position your brand to retain and gain business in a troubled economy? Know what your customers want, need and expect – then work to exceed these expectations. A quick (and relatively easy) start is to experience your services from the customer’s point of view. Mystery shop your own business from every angle (inquiry, purchase, complaint, etc.) then answer the following questions:

1. Would I do business here?
2. Would I recommend an associate/friend?
3. Given a viable alternative, would I return?

This simple, yet telling exercise should give you a clearer picture of your organization’s customer service strengths and opportunities. Develop an actionable strategy, then go and GET it! Every effort of every member of your organization should focus on Getting new, Expanding existing and Taking back (recouping) lost business.

Lynda Fleming - Director of Learning & Development, Frontline Performance Group

Herb Brooks, the 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey coach, was considered a maverick for setting the expectation of a gold medal for a group of 18 to 21 year old amateur and collegiate players. Team USA went on to reach his audacious goal with a crushing 4-3 victory over the Soviet Union, and an equally impressive come from behind victory against Finland in the championship game.

Moral of the story: As a leader, don’t be afraid to set stretch goals for your management and frontline teams. You will never have an opportunity to attain what some may say are “impossible” goals if you do not aspire to them and believe in your ability to achieve them.

Ken Stellon - Senior Vice President, Frontline Performance Group

We have all been there before. There are only a few days left in the month, and you are hanging by a thread to earn a tier payout or hit a sales quota. That sinking feeling, a sense of foreboding, starts to creep in. The pressure is on and you begin to think, “What if I miss out? Look at all of the money I will lose. I can’t afford to miss that incentive payout.” You think it over and over as you exert more and more self-pressure. You begin to realize and feel failure, and often your fears become reality…a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Next time, when the pressure is on, stay positive and remember the following:

1. You cannot control what the customer is going to do, you can only influence their decision.

Every salesperson can recall what they believed was a perfectly delivered pitch, only to be rebuffed by their prospect. Conversely, think of how frequently you can blow your sales pitch and still get the sale. Always remember you are unable to control how well you sell – only how well you offer. The good news is in the majority of situations, if you consistently offer well, you will sell well. When you are under the gun, focus on the following sales fundamentals:

• Greet and build rapport
• Identify wants and needs
• Offer the product that best meets the customer’s needs
• Answer all questions positively
• Offer ancillary products after the primary product is secure
• No matter what happens, close positively

2. Visualize your desired outcome, not your potential failure.

World-class athletes spend years training their minds to “see” and “claim” victory before they achieve it. What does success look like for you? Visualize yourself achieving the highest level of performance and you will engage the power of your subconscious mind to make it happen. The best time to create these “success imprints” is right before you go to sleep and as soon as you wake up in the morning. Research suggests this is when your subconscious mind is most impressionable.

3. Replace worry with work.

Worry is wasteful and destructive. Instead, spend your time practicing and preparing. Remember, you may be unable to control the results of your sales efforts, but you can control the behaviors that lead to these results. Ready yourself for the day by giving yourself an encouraging pep talk. Keep telling yourself that you are confident, that you will overcome this challenge, and that the results you seek are a given. Arrive early to work and prepare your workstation. Disorganization and arriving late increase your stress levels and make your customers feel uncomfortable. Most of all focus on how your products and/or services help the customers you encounter. Selling for your customer instead of to or at them will put you and your clients at ease, and position you for success.

Chris Brown - Senior Vice President, Frontline Performance Group