Strategic People Management For Business Success
When times are tough "customer service", taking care of the customer, is not nearly enough.
During tough economic times, businesses that flounder and those that flourish are often decided not by the complex things but by the simple.
Crash and burn failure or blazing, incendiary success will frequently come down to certain commonsense simple fundamentals that are applied or not applied leading to great results or gruesome regrets.
One such simple fundamental is good old-fashioned “customer service”. In tough times competition will often become fiercer, and it becomes ever more vital to cater to the customer not just well but superbly.
Well duh!
Clearly, that is a self-evident simple truth, and because it is so obvious when times are tough almost all businesses pay greater emphasis to the customer service side of operations. Business leaders in all businesses and market sectors pay close attention to “knock your socks off” customer service and become laser-like focused on finding innovative ways to kiss up, bow down and worship the customer. It is strategic marketing perhaps at its most pure and simple.
But great service for the buying customer isn’t nearly enough. It isn't nearly enough because that's what everybody else and every other business is also doing!
You can't distinguish yourself if you do what they all do. You look exactly like the competition. And if we all look alike the customers make their buying decision based on the worst component: PRICE.
I suggest that exceptional service reserved exclusively for the external customer is not nearly enough. Of course, you must service the buying customer exceptionally well but of equal or even greater significance is exceptional service for the internal customer.
The greatest asset in any business, large or small, is people. Businesses that take care of people will outperform the competition by a significant margin. Take care of your people and they in turn will take care of the customer thus taking care of the business. Not taking care of the people can be devastating.
Here is a mere snapshot overview of strategic people management for business success.
• Hire right!
The importance of having the right people in place cannot be overstated. Jim Collins in his wonderful book “From Good To Great” put it in terms of getting the right people on the bus and they will steer the bus in the right direction. If the wrong people are on board it is highly improbable that the bus will be going the right way. Hire right!
• Hire on values & principles.
When attracting employees it is critical that you ensure a match to your own core values. Of course you must embrace all aspects of diversity: personalities, social styles, race, gender, age and religion – not merely because of legal implications but because it is the right thing to do – but you will want to pay equally close attention to find people who share your fundamental values, beliefs and core ideals. Design open-ended questions that probe beyond the resumé and delve into the true value system of the person.
• Hire on desire.
You can teach and train all of the skills and abilities needed on the job but you cannot teach desire. You cannot teach people to want to learn. If they don’t have a fundamental desire to learn – a fire in the belly – all the training in the world is useless. Hire looking for fire in the belly. Hire on desire.
• Keep the fire lit.
Once you find people with matching values and principles and in possession of desire, a fire in the belly, it is important to keep the fire lit. Everyone can get down once in a while, especially in times of doom and gloom recessionary periods, and in these down times internal customer service means keeping employees up. It is your responsibility as a business owner or manager to create an environment of motivation, excitement and hope; one that allows staff to better deal with their F.U.D.S. (fears, uncertainties, doubts and suspicions). Help them manage their emotions and they will be empowered to better look after the customer.
• Coach constantly.
Never get complacent or distracted when dealing with the people side of your enterprise. Great strategic business owners are often great coaches; great coaches are often great cheerleaders. Coach continually. Cheer them on.
• Believe in them.
Keep pushing people forward, urging them on and provide oodles of positive feedback and praise demonstrating your belief in their ability to deal with any challenge, overcome any obstacle. Managers help people see themselves as they are. Coaches help people see themselves as they might be. Believe.
• Match personal goals and business goals.
If your vision and their vision are in competition with one another yours will be the one that loses out. Understand what they want. Identify their personal goals first, their personal vision, and then find a way to align their personal goals to the goals and vision of the business.
FINAL THOUGHTS ...
Businesses that flounder, and those that flourish, are often decided by the simple things. Business success is simple – but not easy.
Balance exceptional external customer service with exceptional internal customer service and even in the toughest of times you can strategically help your business grow.
Tough time don't last - tough people do.
For minor improvements work on behaviour - for quantum improvements work on mindset. Create a tough - strategic - mindset.
You can do it!
April 06 2010
