Here are a few of the hundreds of “leadership action menu ideas” from my Leading a Customer-Centered Organization workshop resource workbook:

  • Train frontline service staff in how to systematically identify root causes of service/quality problems and involve them in a continuous improvement process.
  • Provide a process for frontline service staff to track and systematically analyze all complaints, service breakdowns, and quality problems.
  • Post service/quality trend charts and customer experience/process maps for all frontline service staff to keep score and stay engaged in the improvement process.
  • Systematically ask frontline service staff to identify (and rank order) what’s getting in the way of higher service/quality levels and involve them in addressing the issues.

    • Regularly ask internal staff who deal directly with customers, why your organization gains/loses or pleases/displeases customers. Analyze the answers for trends.

  • Be a model of responsiveness and serve the servers. Promptly return internal messages or e-mails.
  • Make it easy and painless for frontline staff to raise issues/concerns. Respond promptly and systematically analyze the trends for improvements.