Front Line Employees Know Service Excellence

I pulled up to the gas station near my home, eager to take advantage of a gas promotion linked to a supermarket chain. With no explanation from the checkout person at the supermarket and no listed instructions at the gas pump, I walked into the station’s convenience mart to ask how to benefit from the program.

The one and only employee inside was eager to help and started explaining the steps involved in entering my information when she suddenly stopped.

“Come with me,” she said, sympathizing with my frustration, “It’s easier for me to show you than tell you.”

We went outside and she calmly and efficiently walked me through the multi-step process. It was simple but certainly not intuitive.

Apparently, I wasn’t the first person that had asked about the program.

“They should really have the instructions listed out here at the pump,” she said.

“Great idea,” I responded.

Her idea, born out of her own experience dealing with customers, would have enabled her to attend to the steady stream of customers that were pulling into the station (instead of spending time with me). It also would have saved me time and frustration. Alas, she had already tried submitting this idea through the franchise owner and regional corporate contacts with no success.

Evidently, this global energy company does not have an easy way to tap into ideas generated by frontline employees. Last year, Anthony K. Tjan posted a blog on the Harvard Business Review’s web site entitled, “Listen to Your Frontline Employees.”

He cites the limitations of traditional research:

1. Customers don’t always say what is really on their mind.
2. Customers often don’t know what they don’t know.
3. Those conducting the research may bias results with the types of questions they are asking (wrong questions mean wrong answers).

Front line employees provide a source of information to overcome these limitations. They live and breathe what customers experience every day. They can voice frustrations that customers may not be willing or able to articulate.

I’m grateful when I get the type of personalized service and attention I received that day at the gas station. I wonder how many companies recognize the incredible source of service knowledge they have at their finger tips. Too few, I’m afraid…

 “The opinions expressed here are my personal opinions. Content published here is not read or approved in advance by EMC and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of EMC nor does it constitute any official communication of EMC.”