Care about the company’s well-being is often a concern of many owners. Consider the aimlessly blowing around, rolling on the ground, never making a sound, like tumbleweeds. If any part of that sentence also applies to your employees, your company may soon be a ghost town.
B-Western imagery aside, Tumbleweedpeople are trouble.
Yet they landed on your payroll somehow, so you are pretty much responsible.
Maybe they weren’t always that way: now with no real direction, vapid, limp. Let’s hope it’s unlikely they would be with your company if they were. More often than not, apathy takes root and grows after the fact. You’re going to want to stop that.
Who cares about your company?
What some employers and business owners fail to realize is that no one cares about the company they work for more than the people who own it. And, regardless of their seniority or level, if they sense you’re not particularly into it, it’s easy for them to consider that a free pass.
As I’ve said here before, people within companies need clear direction. Unless they have an interest in the company, it is unrealistic to expect them to make what is basically a monumental effort to understand the intricacies of how to keep it running smoothly, profitably, and competitively. That’s your job. Take it seriously, and don’t screw it up. If you do, the rewards will be there on many levels — not the least of which your commitment can become contagious.
Your employees will not inherently know what to do and how to do it — as it applies to your particular enterprise and its unique needs. They have their professional skills and experience, but you need to make that yours. And, you have to make them care enough to commit.
This happens more often than you think, and it’s not all about company cars and hefty compensation.
I give you the Ritz-Carlton. To any of you who have been to one, you know what I’m talking about. These people are not owners but they have taken ownership of what they do there. Their training and service are legendary to the point where they train people in other companies on how to care and invest themselves to that level. The bottom line is its training.
But training your employees can take several forms. Regardless, you really need to start with a. I believe that’s Latin for. If I’m wrong, I’m close.
Developing the needs of the team
Developing what they need to become a powerful, influential team for your company involves, at a minimum:
1) Impressing upon them the value of demonstrating respect and gratitude for your clients. This is critical. Clients are, in essence, giving YOU money that they could be giving to SOMEONE ELSE. Yes, you earned their business, and yes, they received something in return from you. But they don’t have to deal with you. Thank them for that. Write thank-you notes or letters, drop them the occasional sporting event tickets, subscribe them to a wine-of-the-month club. Do something, regularly, before they feel taken for granted and before one of your competitors gets wind of that.
2) Develop a system of service. A schedule. Have them check in with them regularly without trying to sell them something else. They should let them know they’re there and concerned with how things are going with them. Often, the clients will start calling your company when they need something.
3) Develop a system of consistent communications to clients. From how and when your employees call and email them to what they say when you do. Template emails can work, and are often the safest bet at times, as long as they have some touch of personalization. Strive for pleasant predictability.
If you’re faced with problems hiring quality people, general malaise among your employees, and less than stellar overall profitability and performance, take a look at your attitude and roll in all of this. Are you adequately playing the role of manager, trainer, Leader? If you’re not, you may lose the opportunity to have that chance in the future.
Give those in your company direction, and help and support them as they follow it.
Frank Bastone can be reached at 718 662 8581, or schedule time for a chat here.
