How to Avoid Business Suicide

Why do so many companies balk when it comes to investing in customer service and employee performance training? One reason is they do not see the immediate payoff for the money they spend. Since their sales do not immediately start going up, they rationalize that the dollars they invest in employee development isn’t worth it. Ironically, the budget for customer service and employee performance training is the first to be cut when the economy softens. This can begin a downward spiral that either stunts the company’s growth or leads to their ultimate demise.

Sharpen the Saw
It’s a lot like the analogy of a lumber harvest company not budgeting the time or the money to keep the lumberjack’s cutting tools sharpened because business is down. Eventually the quality and workmanship of their lumberjacks will suffer and this will lead to an increase in complaints from the end customer. If they get too many unresolved complaints, the customers will vote with their feet, and take their business to its’ competitors.

How Training Pays Off
John Humphrey of the Forum Corporation suggested that part of the problem is that the management is not aware of how training really works. The results that come from implementing a training program follow a timeline. When you take a closer look at what actually happens when an organization develops its’ managers and employees, here is what you will find.

1. Training costs will immediately go up.
2. The number of customer complaints will come down.
3. Sales will go up.
4. Costs will come down.
5. Profits will go up.

Create a Continuous Improvement Strategy
The training and development of your greatest resource, your team of managers and employees, invariably does pay off. It just takes a little time, effort and money. When you are cognizant of the development process that a training initiative takes, it will give you the added insight you will need to create a continuous improvement strategy. It will give you the reserve power to answer the objections that could come from your management team and employees. Typically those managers and employees, who need it the most, will complain the loudest. However, by being firmly committed to and communicating a long term strategy to improve your company through training and development, you will eliminate the common malaise of groans and objections.

The companies that build their customer service and staff development skills will outpace their competitors, build their client base and grow their profits, and that is what you really want , isn’t it?.

If you are interested in a better career in customer service visit www.customerservicejobs.com

Tom Borg is president of Tom Borg Consulting, LLC. He is a business consultant, speaker, coach and author. He helps companies and organization become more profitable by increasing their value and lowering their costs through the professional development of their managers and employees.