Aspirational Purpose is Important, however…
Having a solid understanding of why your organization exists and what gets you up every day to serve your internal and external customers is the foundation for any successful leader and organization. It’s important to remember, as Simon Sinek has taught us, “people don’t buy what we do, they buy why we do it.” This adage rings true for our internal and external customer. If you don’t have an aspirational purpose that drives employees to work every day with passion and excitement, then how can you expect your external customer to be passionate about your organization or be excited to do business with you? Although we need to have a larger than life purpose to get us up every morning we also need a ‘North Star’ that we can strive for with every customer, every time. My advice, perfect why your organization exists, ensure your employees know this, can recite it and believe it, then set that beautiful aspirational purpose on the shelf and start working on a Customer Service Vision that can be actionable by every employee, with every customer, in every interaction.
A Customer Service Vision = Measurable, Observable, Trainable Action
The first Commandant of The Dijulius Group Methodology is Customer Service Vision, and with good reason! Without a ‘North Star’, what are we striving for with each and every customer interaction? Without a daily focus, how will an organization realize their aspirational purpose? It is essential that organizations have something to rally around that can be easily measured, observed by leaders and fellow team members, can be trained, and most importantly can be executed with every customer, every time.
When I work with clients, I explain the importance of a Customer Service Vision, Pillars & Sub-Pillars, and Non-negotiable Standards as a “World Class (WC) Customer Service Triangle” (diagram above) .
The base of the WC Customer Service Triangle is the aspirational foundation, an organization’s why or purpose. Unfortunately, an aspirational purpose is not actionable with daily interactions. It is, however, achievable over a longer period of time, the mark an organization will leave and continuously strive for.
On the opposite end of this triangle is the ‘North Star’, an organization’s Customer Service Vision. A Customer Service Vision is WHAT your employees strive to achieve in each and every interaction with your internal and external customers.
A Service Vision should be:
Easy to understand
Simple, concise, & memorable
Actionable & empowering
Measurable, observable, & trainable
The supporting structure of the WC Service Triangle represents HOW your organization and team members achieve the North Star and bring an organizations aspirational purpose to life over the long run.
The support structure on the right represents the Pillars & Sub-Pillars of the Customer Service Vision. These are actionable points that outline HOW to achieve quality service, personalized customer interaction, and ways to go above and beyond for the customer.
The support structure on the left represents an organization’s Non-Negotiable Standards and Never & Always. The Non-Negotiable Standards ensure that no matter how busy, large or small the organization is, every customer is experiencing world class service from all levels of the organization, with each touch point, in every interaction.
Each part of this WC Customer Service Triangle plays a part in setting an organization up for success in executing World Class Customer Service, just like every team member plays a part in the execution. However, it is the Customer Service Vision that drives action and gives employees something to be accountable to.
Every Customer, Every Time
If you haven’t picked up on it yet, consistency is key to successfully providing WC Customer Service and executing a Customer Service Vision. Every Customer, Every Time has been a mantra of mine for years now. I often have our clients chanting it by the mid-morning of day one in any workshop I conduct! New research shows that it now takes 90 times to make or break a habit; this is why repetition and consistency are so important. Without consistency, there won’t be synthesis of your Customer Service Vision, without synthesis nothing will operationalize and your customers won’t realize the experience they deserve. Try it; chant it with your team. It feels funny at first, but I can promise it sticks!
What are you Waiting For?
If your organization doesn’t have a North Star yet, it’s time to create it. Give your organization’s purpose new life with an actionable, observable Customer Service Vision that can be executed with every customer, every time.
