It is amazing that some of the most homely, hooky, and utterly corny mission statements in corporate America having to do with customer service are also the most effective, but it's true as many a HBR (Harvard Business Review) article has noted. Do you know why this is? It's because they are so easy to understand that everyone can grasp the concept, the employees get it, and they carry out the mission because that's what's required, and what's expected.
They have absolute buy-in, and if you do it right it becomes a group passion and it is amazing the outflow of energy which is felt by the customer as the employees try to please them and explain how great the company is, and how much they care, and they mean it, because they really do. The customers feel this, and it adds to the ambience and the customer experience. It works. And since it works you should be doing this in your company, big or small it doesn't matter.
A company mission statement might be something like; "every customer must leave happy" or "we will make every customer smile with our great service." I know those sound totally ridiculous, and you are saying to me; "Lance, you have to be kidding right?" No, I'm not, I'm serious, this is how it works in the real world. The employees want something that they can understand and they will take it as a personal responsibility to uphold your mission statement. Do you have any idea what that does for business?
It provides repeat customers, and endless referrals, and positive word-of-mouth advertising. So abundant you couldn't afford to buy it through marketing, advertising, and brand strengthening. Best of all it's free! All you have to do is write it down, say it with passion, and lead by example. If you do that, everything else will follow, and your entire team will step in line. At that point there's nothing you can't do, and the competition will be left with their jaw opened wondering how on earth you did it. The reality is you didn't do it, the employees did, and the customers, well, they'll just love it.
What's your company mission statement when it comes to customer service? If you haven't thought of one why not use this one; "we love our customers because they are the greatest customers in the world, therefore we will give them the greatest service as if they were our own family, because now they are."
Just use that one, I did all the work for you, just post this on all the bulletin boards, and around the office, in the break rooms, and even put it on the paychecks. Make every employee sign that they read this statement and fully understand it, and that their jobs now depend on it. You think I'm kidding right? I'm not, and I happen to be the founder of a franchising company. It works. Please consider all this and think on it.
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