Getting Ahead in These Economically Challenging Times—–Through Alignment
By James Graham, ServiceElements Facilitator
Finding new customers in economically challenging times is difficult. Now, more than ever before, is the time to listen to your customers. Do you really listen to your customers?
Most aviation leaders and managers capably lead their organizations through technical challenges but are hesitant or even down right resistant to listen to the voice of the customer. Customers, in this case, mean external customers as well as front-line employee. Top-down customer service directives are an easy answer but most likely not the best answer.
Have you given your front line employees and your customers permission to share ideas and provide feedback? Front line employees have their finger directly on the customer’s pulse while the external customer can offer insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the customer service experience you provide. If you gather feedback from the ‘true experts’, you will more easily create an aligned business focus that leads to a memorable customer experience.
Alignment or one-pageness is the factor that creates emotional involvement and personal investment within the organization. The Mission, Vision, and Values must be aligned, making it easier for every employee to buy into the focus you hope to achieve. Alignment creates winning teams, on a football field, in a restaurant or in a company—and that is why it is a competitive advantage in the Business and General Aviation industry as well. Customers feel and sense alignment, and they, like your employees buy into the company and the services it provides.
Alignment begins with Mission, Vision and Values. Values specify what the organization must do, and what it must not do. Values capture the ethics and life-guiding principles for the people that make up the organization. Values also inform the development of a Vision. The organization’s Vision specifies what the organization is on Earth to accomplish. “Sam’s Summer Vacation Lemonade Stand will cure world hunger” is an example of a vision statement. The Mission sets out the broad actions that will, if followed, eventually lead to fulfillment of the Vision: “Sam’s Summer Vacation Lemonade Stand will work to unify the neighborhood, slaking thirst and earning money from June through August. All of that revenue will be donated to World Vision.”
If you have properly defined your Mission, Vision, and Values, customer intelligence will help you more fully live up to the customer service ideals you have set. Tapping into your front line employee and customers as a source of intelligence requires several steps: Feedback, Analysis, and Implementation. First, let’s examine feedback. A system of genuinely requesting feedback from employees and customers will demonstrate that permission to provide feedback is granted and welcome. Accepting feedback is not simple feat. It requires setting your ego aside. And remember, for the most part, feedback will not be directed to you as a person, but to your business. Feedback is a business opportunity if you are willing to keep an open mind.
Analysis of the feedback is the second step in tapping employee and customer intelligence. Not every idea is a good idea, and the customer is not always right. Analyze feedback from your front line employees and customers to see which suggestions help you live your Mission, Vision, and Values. Qualify the best ideas against a broader audience of front line employees and customers, if possible and appropriate. If you see clear alignment, the analysis has revealed a piece of feedback that you must act upon, and you are ready for the next step. If the feedback does not produce alignment, you should acknowledge the employee or customer just for taking the time to offer a suggestion. The simple act of acknowledgement can go a long way because it conveys consideration.
The third and hardest step in the process is implementation of the idea. Implementation involves change, and change is difficult. We all like predictability, but to grow we must change. Leaders must be proponents of change, and must champion ideas they wish to implement. Sometimes implementation will not succeed. Wise leaders embrace the lessons that failure teaches and are not inhibited to start the three step process all over again.
Remember: Feedback, analysis, and implementation are three steps that can help align your Mission, Vision and Values to the organization’s business focus on customer service.
Will alignment and implementation always be easy? Of course not. Alignment and implementation are big steps that may create short-term turmoil. Focus on the Mission, Vision, and Values that guided you as you continue to develop your organization. Look out to the horizon. It is easy to forget that Harley Davidson was, at one time, struggling for answers, but the company is now a model of how alignment creates loyal customers.
Alignment takes work and requires change. Alignment, produced through employee and customer feedback, analysis, and implementation will result in great dividends for the range of organizations that populate the general business and aviation industry, from FBOs and charter management companies to MROs and flight planning centers. Alignment requires strong leadership that is ready to embrace change and view feedback as an opportunity. Are you ready? Move quickly—your competitors might be reading this, too! “Customer Service is one of the most potent efficiency and productivity business tools”
