Happy Employees Equal Happy Customers...

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “If mom isn’t happy then NOBODY will be happy!” Well that also applies to your business. If your employees are not happy, they will not do a wonderful job at making or keeping your customers happy. When you really think about it, no one really wants to work for a living. No one wants to sit behind a desk or counter all day dealing with other people’s issues, answering the phones, and having to deal with “problems” day in and day out. Right?

In a perfect world we’d all have plenty of money were we’d never have to work. Picture it: You’d wake up on your yacht in a new part of the world every other day. Today it may be St. Tropez and the next day it may be Italy. Who knows! Everyday would be an adventure and we’d all have no cares or worries. Who wouldn’t love that type of life style? I know I would! The reality is most people may not even know where St. Tropez is, and may never have an opportunity to go there. All they have to look forward to is their crummy job where the boss is always gone, where the tension is so intense that you can cut it with a knife, where they can barely afford to pay their bills with what they make and the benefits; if they even have any; are almost non-existent. As small business owners we think that’s about the best we can offer. Well, that’s not true.

In the summer of 2006 Oprah Winfrey took her entire staff of 407 plus their families (more than 1000 people total) to Hawaii. You may not realize it but Oprah’s company Harpo, Inc. is considered to be a small business. And even though this should come as no surprise, she has an excellent retention rate. Most of her staff have been with her from the start. Why? Well this trip probably was not the first thing she did for her staff to show then how much she appreciated them and their hard work. Maybe you can’t fly your entire staff to Hawaii but there are certain things you could do to keep them happy.

Tip # 1: If you can’t take them to Hawaii then bring Hawaii to them! Several years ago we had a Christmas party for our staff at our home. We wanted a Hawaiian-themed party so we played island music and put a lei around their neck when they came through the door! We served tropical drinks. Ate foods that had island themes. We had a blast!

Tip # 2: Everyone loves a good meal. Especially when it’s free! Once a month we would take our staff out to lunch for our meeting or if the schedule was too tight we would have lunch catered or brought in. It wasn’t terribly expensive but our staff knew that we appreciated them and they appreciated the free food.

Tip # 3: Randomly give someone the day off or have your employees earn points for customer service kudos they get and some time off. The prize may be a Friday afternoon off, a full day off or you might even get creative and give them a gift certificate, or maybe even a weekend trip. You will quickly see that your employees will go above and beyond the call of duty to provide such an excellent level of customer service that it prompts the customer to call in on their behalf. It’s a fun program and great morale booster!

Tip # 4: Keep an open line of communication. Actually ask your employees what they think would improve their productivity and/or work environment then sit back and listen. You may find that not only are you able to take care of some of their requests but you may also get some great ideas and find some untapped talent at the same time.

Tip # 5: Give complements and pay raises accordingly. Value their contribution regardless of their education or experience. You must remember - the receptionist who answers the phones is responsible for making sure the calls go to the sales people. The salespeople are responsible for making sure the customer has their questions answered before they place their order. The order fillers are responsible for making sure the customers get the correct orders. The shipping department is responsible for making sure that the orders get sent to the correct location in a timely manner. All of their contributions individually and together make it possible for you to do what you need to do which is run your company.

Keeping your employees happy is not just got for them, it’s good for you. Your turn over rate will decrease and your productivity level will increase. Your employees are happy, your customers are happy and most importantly you are happy. Everyone wins!

I look forward to helping you strive to reach your goals and dreams. It is my hope that the information I've provided will help you to get there!

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Pam Lawhorne

Pam Lawhorne is a serial entrepreneur, small business expert and creative marketing consultant, who provides advice, guidance, and encouragement to aspiring CEO's around the nation in her popular seminars and publications. She is the Chief Empowerment Officer of Empower U, Incorporated, a training and consulting firm that specializes in interactive workshops, seminars and coaching programs.

Ms. Lawhorne is the author of “From Minimum Wage To Getting Paid! - How To Become A Successful Entrepreneur With No Money, Education Or Experience!" and she is also a syndicated columnist who writes articles on empowerment, entrepreneurship, personal development, creative marketing and real estate investing. Her articles appear nationally in newspapers, magazines, and on numerous business websites and on-line publications. For additional information please visit her website: www.PamLawhorne.com.

The above article is copyright 2003-2008 by Pam Lawhorne. Permission to repost is freely granted so long as the text is not altered in any way, and the copyright and links are included.