I have always made a point to let the people that are on the front line dealing with customers know that they are the real CEO’s in the company. They are the ones that make the difference.
If your sales people don’t sell and if your customer service people don’t give good customer service, you are in big trouble because you aren’t going to be able to keep your customers.
The CEO role is nothing without reinforcing how important your frontline team is that has direct contact with the customer. It’s their feedback that is critical to making the business work.
The most unqualified employee can do amazing things if you help educate them and empower them to believe in themselves. You have to be a motivator and earn their trust, allowing them to tell you not only the good, but the bad so you can quickly address any issues that you may have.
When you empower your front line people, they will speak with authority when dealing with your customers. When a customer hears confidence, they will be less likely to be uncomfortable with the ability of your company to perform and that will ultimately not only save you money, but make you more money.
When your team is willing to come to you and express concerns about process, you need to listen to them and if you disagree, don’t respond instantly. Instead, give it some time and considerable thought to what your people are saying. They will respect you more, even if you come out opposing their view point. The key is to let them know that you value their input. There have been several times that I would have been wise to take this advice and it cost me.
Having a team that is confident and willing to do whatever it takes has the ability to go above and beyond and they will appreciate that you have enough confidence in them to give them that chance. Take advantage of what others are not willing to do and you will have a great time building your business.