Partner Article

Great customer experience needs great employee engagement

Customer experience and employee engagement: separate worlds, or co-dependent business priorities?

“To paraphrase an old Employees First expression,” says Nick Shottel, operations director at 21 Hospitality Group, “If you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of your guests, and the profits will take care of themselves.”

Organisations today are facing the challenge of remaining front of mind and being the first choice for consumers at a time when options, influences and competition are greater than ever before. 

The pressure inevitably falls on employees and internal teams to truly make an impact through their day-to-day performance by innovating, creating and delivering products, services and experiences that make people return time and time again. 

For Nick, the key to success is evident. 

He says: “For people to be genuinely productive, they need a climate of acceptance, open communication, fairness and belonging. 

“For most teams today, the old hard-line, authoritarian approach simply does not work. 

“You owe it to yourself to create a working environment where people are willing to, and want to, give their best.”

Sarah Medcalf, head of supporter services at Newcastle United Football Club, shares the sentiment.

She adds: “When our people feel supported, connected and proud of the part they play, they create the moments that matter for our fans.

“Exceptional fan experience always starts with an engaged team who believe in what we are building together.”

It is this interconnected and dynamic relationship that will be the focus of an upcoming panel discussion on Wednesday, February 4 from 9am at The Catalyst, part of Newcastle’s Helix development.     

The exclusive event will look at how unlocking customer satisfaction and loyalty starts with engaged employees. 

Alongside Nick and Sarah, further panellists will include Lauren Mallon, people director at Marks & Spencer Food; Simon Bray, managing director – financial services at Executive Coach; and Tom Shanks, director at Bell & Shanks/Blueline Group. 

Titled The ‘Special’ Relationship: Why customer experience depends on employee engagement, the discussion will be hosted by multi-platform publisher NET and digital engagement solutions specialist Motivait.

We all recognise the impact of a great customer experience when we encounter one. 

It is relevant, personal and delivered by engaged individuals who evoke trust and enjoyment. 

It is these memorable experiences that create more satisfied and loyal customers, and drive increased frequency and higher value, directly benefitting the bottom line. 

Brands that invest in motivating and empowering their teams see measurable gains in productivity, reduced staff turnover, lower recruitment costs and stronger cultures of advocacy and creativity.

It is an effect that Simon has seen often.

He adds: “High performing organisations regularly demonstrate that effective alignment of their internal functions and stakeholders can very successfully support the delivery of a common purpose. 

“The same can be said for the interdependency between engaged employees and customer experience – if executed well, they can have such a positive influence on one another.”

To register your place at this exclusive event, or to find out more information, please email events@motivait.net

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Bdaily Publishing .