What separates mediocre service from service worth telling others about? Isn’t it doing whatever you can for your customers v. doing what you must?
A “must” perspective is inherently limiting and restrictive. It’s rooted in rules, checklists and contracts. A “can” perspective is inherently expansive and freeing. It’s rooted in permission, opportunities and the spirit of the agreement.
I believe a “must” customer orientation develops out of a culture that manages their people that way. Employees follow rules, are policed with checklists and are routinely told to consult the handbook.
I believe a “can” customer orientation develops out of a culture that gives its people permission to exercise good judgement, that pushes its people to take initiative and to act with the overall intent in mind.
You agree?
2 Comments
I do agree. However I am sure that you would agree that having an organization with people who know what they “can” do to solve a problem comes first with clear expectations of what must be done. Creating a kind of space that allows creation without compromising core principles. What do you think?
I am not persuaded that you much teach employees what must be done before you empower them to do what can be done. If you help employees understand the why behind your business, not just the what and how of its execution, you equip and empower them to exercise judgement and make good decisions. If you train robots, you will get robots, people who will be incapable of doing more than they are programmed to do. Better to suffer the consequences of a few mistakes early on than to be strangled later by a workforce that is unable to navigate doing what is best for the company and its customers because they neither understood the why behind their work nor were given the opportunity to practice breaking the rules.