What do a camp counselor, a massage therapist and a an admissions nurse have in common?
They love their jobs.
How do I know? Well I don’t exactly. I didn’t ask them. But I did interact with each of them recently.
And I walked away feeling that they did.
Because their enthusiasm, attention to detail, and thoroughness completely transformed my experience.
And it reminded me of the simple, but nevertheless true, Â fact that more than anything, people matter.
They can make or break a brand experience.
The attitude of each of these individuals told me more than just about their individual personalities. It also told me a lot about the companies they work for.
I don’t think this love happens in a vacuum.
It’s a sign that the employees are well chosen, nurtured, given clear direction and feedback and know their role in the bigger picture of the companies goals.
Am I reading too much into a few brief encounters? Maybe.
But I also had an experience at the airport last week where I waited for my turn to order a cup of coffee and I listened to a group of four or so employees openly complain about their jobs, their lack of break time, etc.
All the while ignoring the customers in front of them.
But the thing that really got me was their was a manager remaining silent in their midst.
Maybe the gripes were legitimate. Maybe they had been working too long without a decent break.
But it’s not the point. The point is that an employee’s positive attitude (or the lack thereof) for me is not just a sign of individual character.
Or at least not entirely.
It is a representation of an internal culture and management that either fosters the right attitude -or it doesn’t.
And that is so important because those little moments and subtle signals can either build a brand’s connection with a customer….or they can ultimately bring down a business.
That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
How have you felt the love lately?
I totally agree. When I see people doing this in public- I cringe ithinking about business manners. No matter how unhappy I ever would be or could be at my job- I was taught never to badmouth your company (or former companies). Yes, it is a telling sign of moral compass- or lack thereof- but I also think it is very telling of someone who lacks social etiquette.
If I were so unhappy with my job that I had to publicly vent about it (and risk looking like a loose cannon) I would seek employment that made me happier. Embrace it or change it. Then again, this is coming from someone who works for a company with excellent benefits that also helps me nurture my own marketing venture at the same time. I don’t know if one could find a better employment experience. I’ve worked in highly stressful environments (and vented many times to my husband or best friend outside of work), but you find things to focus on to make your work more interesting/challenging, you never bring a bitter, passive aggressive attitude into the workplace. This, also coming from someone who views the entire world as half-full- and possibly might be wearing rose-colored glasses.
The pearls of wisdom I find on this blog make my work more interesting too, because I can apply what I read here in pratical terms. Keep up the good work.
@Kristin thanks for your comment and your kind words of encouragement about the blog. It’s refreshing to hear from a “glass half full” perspective. I fear these days you are too often in the minority. Thanks for making my morning.
@Kristin Love the Twist!
An addendum to my comment: If one cannot get behind a brand (their employer- every company has a brand to stand behind)- and always put forth the gold standard of customer service, and genuinely believe it and be excited about it- they shouldn’t be employed there. That is what my “brand twist” would be on the situation.
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