Recently, I met a woman who has worked for the same organization for nearly twenty years. Pretty impressive considering not too long ago many companies struggled to survive resulting in some pretty staggering unemployment rates. I was eager to hear more on why she has stayed loyal to this firm after all these years. She told me a story about a life-changing event in which she needed to extend her short-term leave of absence. Unfortunately, she had exhausted all of her paid days off and had to make a decision between receiving a paycheck or not.
Once her colleagues and company leaders heard about her situation they came together and each donated several days to her cause – giving her nearly three months of additional paid leave. She said experiences like this, when you really hope the “golden rule” applies, is why she’s remained such a passionate supporter of the organization.
Many of you know that there is an important connection between employee happiness and customer satisfaction. So while it’s rare (and sometimes no longer valued) to remain attached to an organization for an entire career, her story is still a great reminder how satisfied employees lead to satisfied customers.
Not surprisingly this is a company that is well regarded for their customer service. And given her level of enthusiasm for this organization, it’s easy to see the customers she interacts with also benefit from her loyalty to the firm. Ultimately her satisfaction is setting the foundation for turning customers into loyal advocates for the company’s products and services.
The key takeaway is satisfied employees help create significant value for your organization. So be sure to harness the power of happy and engaged employees to create positive experience for your customers.