Customer loyalty starts with company culture


  • June 15, 2016
  • /   Rachael Gillette
  • /   training-development

It's time to harness the power.

We're a little more than a week away from hearing Donna Kirby, Pensacola Wahoos Vice President of Operational Development, talk about harnessing the power of exceptional customer service at the next Studer Community Institute training and development workshop.

Kirby also will share real-world examples of good customer service and engage attendees with interactive exercises at the workshop on June 23 at the Pensacola Little Theatre.

Even though research shows that customer loyalty is on the decline, every business owner wants loyal customers. But loyalty is not for sale with gimmicks or promotions. Customer service begins inside the organization and starts with the culture of the company.

Whether shopping for a pair of shoes, home insurance or fried chicken, customers want to buy goods and services at establishments that:

— Treat customers well

— Treat employees well

— Do good for society

Customer-focused culture begins with people who want to do the right thing. Employees who love coming to work, love the mission of the company and who are empowered to make decisions, treat customers really well.

I attended a Pensacola Blue Wahoos game on June 11, and during the T-shirt toss some women sitting behind me yelled for a shirt but didn't get one. Minutes later, Joey DiChiara, a member of the Wahoos staff, walked by our seats in a hurry to get somewhere else. The women shouted, "We want a shirt!" DiChiara turned around, came back and said, " How many would you like Ma'am?" Within minutes the ladies and their friend got shirts, and as you can tell from the look on their faces it was a huge win.

Happy fans copy

This is just one example of why the Pensacola Blue Wahoos consistently win awards for their fan experience as well as the ballpark. By focusing on core values, measuring the important things, including employee engagement, not just profit and loss, developing leaders and aligning goals, the Wahoos have created a culture of excellence with exceptional customer service.

Studer Community Institute training and development helps to grow leaders and transform organizations, and I hope that you will join us on June 23 to learn how your organization can harness the power of exceptional customer service.

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