THE RULES OF CORPORATE CULTURE

                      A Manual for the right mindset at work

                                         by  Judy A. Kaplan

The new dialog for appropriate behavior and attitude towards the customer is actually not new at all.  Although there may be the addition of some tech talk, buzz words or jazzed-up Newt Rockne type pep-talks to psyche up the staff, the truth is the objective of corporations in “service” industries has always been to shock the customer or client with an overwhelmingly accommodating experience.

What does it take to deliver this type of experience?

Here are a list of ground rules that I followed. 

1.    Know your business

2.    Know your job function

3.    Know your product

4.    Know your customer

5.    Know your competition

6.    Know how to be business appropriate

 

1.    Know your business.  What are you selling, supplying, fixing or what services are your delivering?  Learn as much as you can about the industry you are working in. If your company has a cross-training policy, learn as many job functions as possible.  Learn the procedures that are followed; i.e., what to do from the time a customer calls to place an order to the time they call because they did not receive the order, or to thank you for the overnight delivery of their order.

2.    Know your job function. What is it that you do exactly?

          What are your job duties? To know them is to love them.

          If you know what you are responsible for, and learn it        well, you will enjoy it.  And your good work will not go             unnoticed.

3.    Know your product. What need are you meeting that your client can get elsewhere?  What are you doing to give your client something they cannot get elsewhere?

4.    Know your customer. Who buys your stuff?  Who do you render services to? It’s more than just a demographic. Knowing what your customer is like is what is necessary.  It will dictate the type of service.  Casual friendly might work in some business and not in others.  Expectations for an immediate answer or special delivery might be something one customer assumes while another doesn’t need.  A repeat customer is your goal. Once you have them, you try to get to know them and never lose them.

5.    Know your competition. If you can give the level of service that is even higher than your customer expects, then do it. Never make excuses like, “well everyone else called in sick today.”  Just do your absolute best. They can go elsewhere.

6. Know how to be business appropriate. Know how to handle all situations with the correct business demeanor. You have to learn to diffuse a situation….a customer calls and they are upset.  Maybe they are not having a good day, maybe you blew it or something unpreventable happened that compromised your ability to deliver the best service you can.  It doesn’t matter.