Employees

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Published: Saturday, 21 January 2012 18:18

     The value of employees can never be understated. They are the ones who interact with customers on a daily basis. They define a key component of the customer experience with your business. Therefore, it is important to have motivated and resourceful staff that will contribute to the customer’s delight. Their front line access also gives them insight into the customer and processes that make the company run. This knowledge alone makes them invaluable as you seek to understand how to grow your business.
     Employees interact directly with your customer everyday. It is crucial, therefore, that they have the knowledge and the tools to assist the customer. We want the customer to come back, so we need to empower the employee to understand the customer and give the customer what they want. Nothing will drive a customer away faster than an unhelpful staff member. There are many ways to build employees knowledge of the products and services that you offer, which include building on their own interests. If the person is inherently interested in a particular product (beer for instance), then empower them to help all people in the craft beer section. Also, ask for their input when putting together any beer associated marketing. This small act will make the employee more dedicated and feel more included. I must stress that we do not recommend doing this for the sake of having better employees, but rather because they might be better at it than us. Everyone has knowledge, we just have to ask to unlock it. Otherwise, it will be of no use. By truly understanding the value that employees bring to the business, we can create a better experience for the customer. This, in turn, will create more value for the business.
     Employees also have unprecedented insight into the processes that make the business run. This may seem obvious, but it is worth stating that they understand these processes because they do them. Therefore, they are the best people to understand when something is wrong and when to change them. Once again, simply asking an employee for recommendations on what to change is done not for the sake of asking. It is done to really understand what is happening. By doing so, we can identify any shortcomings in a process. By taking steps to change that process, we can realize cost savings by eliminating or reducing work.
     Employees are the most important asset a company has. They have the knowledge and capacity to adapt that no other machine has. Therefore, we treat the employee with respect for that knowledge. We will also look to tap into that knowledge to gather insight to make the business more profitable. This style can be contrasted with a business model that treats its employees as just another machine capable of only doing a specific set of tasks. This model does not fully utilize the talents of people and we are always seeking to maximize our resources.