BOSS UP YOUR EMPLOYEES

BUSINESS

Just the other day, my colleagues and I were discussing the value organizations place on the new employee orientation process and on providing consistent customer service training. You or someone you know has probably experienced it; showing up for work at the new job you scored and asked to shadow another employee who will show you the “ropes”.

BY: DUQUESA DEAN

Believe it or not, organizations place the enormous task of getting their new employees to buy into their vision, mission, values and culture on another team member. Often, this person is unlikely to have been trained to properly teach them. As a self-employed or small business owner, I encourage you to treat your company like an already well established brand. By creating and putting into practice the right processes and systems, you will be building your company on a strong foundation.

Organizations that offer company orientation sessions find that they make a strong and lasting impression on new employees.

When companies take the time to orient new employees properly, the new employees get the sense that the organization is serious about achieving its objectives and deliberate about employees aligning with their vision. They get the opportunity to help shape the new employee’s attitude and perspective. The employee learns firsthand how the company came to be, what the organization is all about, where it is headed and how the employee fits into the overall picture.

Organizations can leverage this orientation process to frame the new employees’ mind before they are introduced to their role, peers and customers. In this way, the new employee is able to form their own opinions of the organization rather than immediately being influenced one way or another by their peers.

Success starts from day one. The employee orientation session sets the tone for why providing great customer experiences is vital to the organization’s bottom line.

Can you really leave your company’s future in the hands of employees who don’t fully understand or accept your vision?

While formal classroom training is needed at least twice annually, a consistent customer service training program extends beyond formal training sessions. It is a mix of classroom sessions and daily or weekly huddles where employees are reminded in smaller group settings of the company’s core customer service policies and expected behaviors.

Applying this keeps the customer experience as a focal point of daily operations and reminds your employees why they are at work which is to provide the type of satisfying customer experiences that lead to repeat and loyal customers.

I strongly encourage business organizations to create the service culture they want to see in their organizations and not leave this crucial step to chance.

Employees know when you are serious about your service standards; they can see it in your daily actions, in the actions of the company leaders, managers and policies. It is therefore essential that those who own/lead organizations to walk the service walk rather than just talk the talk.

The new employee orientation process and continuous customer service training work hand in hand. Set the correct tone from the onset. Strong, skilled and creative employees with the right attitude have expectations that should be met. You otherwise risk losing them to an organization and a culture that respects their drive.

Investing in nurturing new staff with the tools for success, will result in a return on investment that far outweighs any initial costs. Their strong performance attitude, their desire to remain challenged and their determination to positively contribute their best will directly increase the business growth.

I close with the words of Simon Sinek “When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.”

Duquesa D. Dean is a Certified Corporate Trainer, Speaker and a Transformational Coach. She is an Associate Trainer with the International Board of Certified Trainers and a certified Coach,

Speaker & Trainer with the John Maxwell Team.

Duquesa is the author of four books “The Evolving Woman”, “Chase Your Dreams”, “Sister, Stand Up Again & “Bruised But Not Broken”.

To book Duquesa, email duquesa@duquesadean.com or visit www.duquesadean.com