How can culture be created and sustained?

Answer 1

There are seven steps in creating culture and sustain a culture, they are as follows

Step 1 - Communication and AwarenessThis step ensures that all employees of the organization are on the same page regarding the service process and are kept up to date on all developments. Employees need to be introduced to the service excellence process - why it is happening and what the plan is. It is important to establish the WIIFM (what's in it for me?) for employees to want to become engaged and involved.

Step 2 - Orientation and Training

This step leads the effort to build customer service into every training opportunity offered by the organization. The result is a continuous focus on the customer and improving the customer experience. It starts with the orientation of all new employees to ensure customer service is incorporated and highlighted into the new hire process.

Step 3 - Recruitment

A culture begins with the people you hire. This step involves developing a consistent interview and selection process across the entire organization. It will include benchmarking with service "superstars" already in the organization and creating an interview process that increases the likelihood of hiring strong performers.

Step 4 - Recognition and Celebration

This step focuses on recognizing employees who demonstrate the service values of the organization. This includes formal recognition programs as well as on-the-spot recognition opportunities. Without reinforcement of behaviors that are aligned with the service excellence process, employees typically revert to the old way of doing things.

Step 5 - Management Accountability

The number one reason that service initiatives fail to achieve their desired results is a lack of accountability. Ultimately, service excellence behaviors must become non-negotiable. This means that all accountability mechanisms, both formal and informal, must include elements of the service excellence process. This step will ensure job descriptions and performance appraisals significantly highlight customer service issues. It will also make coaching and counseling for leaders of the organization an on-going habit.

Step 6 - Measurement

Measuring customer service levels is not an easy process. This step focuses on formal measurements; such as satisfaction surveys, and informal measurements; such as how many times did we get customers to smile? The point is to measure things that have a direct impact on customer delight and just as important, communicate and display the results to employees. The key is to have branded measurement charts measuring customer service within every work group to build a sense of ownership.

Step 7 - Service Obstacle System

Most service obstacles can and should be handled at the lowest level. Some obstacles to delivering great service; however, are systematic and require a coordinated approach to developing a solution. This step develops a mechanism for collecting information about service obstacles, getting the right people involved in solving the problem (permanently) and communicating the solution back to the field.