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.