According to a recent IDC survey, 85% of respondents advised that higher staff engagement and enhanced employee experiences (EX) yield a better customer experience (CX). In addition, 62% of participants stated a direct causal relationship between CX and EX within their organizations.
Despite these figures, some businesses still address the experiences of their employees and their customers as separate issues. However, there is no denying that EX plays a significant role in the customer journey.
Employers need to implement strategies to enhance employee engagement and create an optimal work environment for their staff. By doing so, they can facilitate measurable improvements in customer satisfaction as well.
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Where Customer Experience & Employee Experience Intersect
There’s a strong relationship between CX and EX. As employee satisfaction increases so too does customer satisfaction. What’s causing this impact? Here are five ways these two sets of experiences intersect.
Satisfied Employees Provide Better Service
Employees experiencing optimal job satisfaction will provide higher quality service to your customers. Conversely, dissatisfied employees may seem disinterested in resolving an inquiry. Even if the employee does not intentionally convey this sentiment, it will be starkly apparent to the customer, diminishing the service experience.
While every employee may have their bad days, it is vital that you closely monitor key customer satisfaction metrics. This monitoring will allow you to detect any concerning trends early and take necessary action to remedy the issue.
For instance, management may need to intervene if one employee suddenly exhibits a notable performance decline that persists past a single shift. Something as simple as speaking with the staff member and collecting feedback can help management address employee satisfaction issues.
On the other hand, unchecked employee dissatisfaction can profoundly impact company culture. Disgruntled employees are more likely to exacerbate the frustrations of customers. This provocation will create a vicious cycle that can only be remedied by escalating the support request to a manager or more experienced agent.
Productive Staff Resolve More Service Requests
Employees who are engaged and satisfied with their role within the company are also more productive. This engagement means that they will resolve service requests more efficiently and then turn their attention to the next customer in the queue.
Regardless of industry , every customer expects prompt and effective service. Maximizing staff productivity is by far one of the best ways to provide just that. By taking a proactive approach to enhancing the employee experience, you can ensure that your entire support team is operating at peak efficiency. This will lead to an improved customer support experience.
There are many ways to improve your staff’s productivity and job satisfaction. For starters, ensure that they have access to the tools needed to do their jobs. This equipment may include a quality desk and chair, user-friendly software, and other amenities that they will use daily.
High Employee Engagement Reduces Turnover
How can you provide an excellent support experience if you are undergoing significant attrition rates? The answer is, you cannot. No matter how good your software is or how hard your existing employees work, they can’t match the productivity of a fully staffed team.
While there are many different ways to reduce turnover, focusing on increasing employee engagement is a great place to start. Tactics to boost employee engagement include:
- Providing staff with the right tools
- Listening to feedback
- Providing individualized coaching or training
Increasing employee engagement will not only lead to less turnover, but each support agent will also be able to provide a better quality of service. They will be focused on the client’s needs instead of simply going through the motions.
Happy Employees Represent Your Brand Better
The modern marketplace is more crowded than it has ever been before. In order to remain competitive, your company must forge, protect, and maintain a positive brand image that resonates with consumers.
One of the best ways to do that is to provide exceptional customer support throughout each phase of the buyer journey. However, providing this support is not possible unless your service agents are happy and engaged.
Employees who are satisfied with their work experiences will be invaluable brand ambassadors who represent your company in a positive light.
On the other hand, disgruntled staff can cause lasting damage to your company’s reputation, especially when they are interacting with a customer that has already encountered a product issue.
Positive EX Leads to Positive CX
The employee experience can influence the customer experience along virtually every touchpoint on the consumer journey.
Whether a customer needs help choosing a product, has a question about pricing, or needs advanced technical support, satisfied employees are more capable of providing the level of service that your clients expect.
The next time you reevaluate how to improve the customer experience, start by analyzing employee satisfaction and engagement. If the customer experience is subpar, then a poor EX may be to blame.
During your evaluation, make sure to gather feedback from existing staff members, measure employee performance, and assess other key metrics that will reveal whether your team is engaged and satisfied in the workplace. Then, leverage this information to create a robust workplace culture that will provide a positive employee experience.
Improve CX and EX with Goodbay Technologies
If your organization is ready to get serious about enhancing the employee experience and improving your ability to serve your customers, Goodbay Technologies can help. Our unique combination of services includes customer service outsourcing, technical support, consulting and data analytics, and back-office support.
These solutions can alleviate the strain on your in-house employees while also providing data-driven insights to better understand the customer journey. Together, we can provide your customers with the level of service that they deserve. Reach out today.
