A colleague of mine at LeapZone Strategies has written a good Blog on the power of branding…
Here is the start of her Blog:
“Listen up, in the wild jungle of today’s business world, blending in is the first step to being forgotten. You need a Brand Foundation that’s not just solid, but magnetic. We’re talking about crafting a brand that doesn’t just get noticed – it gets craved. Why? Because in a sea of endless choices and constant noise, the brands that win are the ones that connect on a deeper level. They’re the ones that spark something inside people, something that goes beyond just ‘liking’ a product or service.”
Service is what sets great businesses apart. It is the one timeless constant. It was true for a business in 1850. It is a fact now as well.
Customers expect personalized care, and your team thrives in an environment where they feel valued and empowered. For family-owned businesses like yours, building a culture of service is not just a strategy—it is an extension of your core values.
Creating and maintaining this culture takes intentionality.
The rewards are worth it: loyal customers, a happier team, and long-term growth that feels good.
Here is how you can do it…
Number 1 – Define Your Core Values and Live Them Daily
Your service culture starts with your values. Think of these as the guiding principles that shape how you treat both customers and your team. But there is the catch—values cannot just live on a wall poster or in an onboarding manual. They need to be visible in everyday actions.
Example:
A franchised business we worked with defined “transparency” and “teamwork” as core values. To bring these to life, they introduced a weekly team huddle where leaders openly discuss wins, challenges, and customer feedback. This keeps the team motivated to deliver outstanding service.
Key Metric:
Companies with clearly defined core values see a 29% increase in employee satisfaction (Source: SHRM).
Number 2 – Empower Your Team with Clear Communication and Tools
Your team are your customers!
When they feel confident and equipped, they will naturally provide excellent service. Start by ensuring everyone understands what great service looks like in your business—and provide the tools they need to deliver it.
Do it with clearly defined Performance Standards. A clearly defined Performance Standard is one based in physical reality. If it is not visible in physical reality it cannot be measured. If it cannot be measured, it cannot be improved or managed.
Example – Answer the phone on the second ring.
This passes the above test. It is clearly observable as either done, or not done. It defines an aspect of Awesome Customer Service. Customers that get responded to quickly on the phone will feel more cared for.
Number 3 – Lead by Example
Your leadership sets the tone. If you treat every customer with care and respect—or step in to help a stressed-out team member—you are modeling the behaviors, you want to see.
Top-down management structures disempower people.
An inverted organizational chart has the business owner on the bottom. Serving the Team above him/her, who in turn serve the customers.
Does that mean the owner-leader has humbled himself into being a doormat?
No!
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” C.S Lewis
“Humility is thinking more of others. Humble people are so focused on serving others, they do not think of themselves.” (Source Philippians 2:1-4)
Being at the bottom means you are responsible for serving everyone above you.
Being on the “bottom” in service to all does not mean poverty. Just the opposite. Being in service to more brings more rewards.
Number 4 – Build a Culture of Recognition and Growth
People who feel appreciated are more likely to go the extra mile. Regularly celebrate your team’s wins, both big and small, to reinforce the behaviors you want to see.
Ideas for Recognition:
Create a “Service Star” award for employees who deliver standout customer experiences.
Host a quarterly lunch to celebrate the team’s successes.
Share customer compliments in team meetings or a company newsletter.
Example Metric:
Teams with frequent recognition programs report 23% lower turnover rates, contributing to stronger, more cohesive teams (Source: Gallup).
Number 5 – Foster a Feedback-Driven Environment
Great service comes from a willingness to listen and adapt. Make it easy for customers and team members to share feedback.
Show them you are listening by acting on it.
Customer Feedback Tips:
Use short surveys after service interactions.
Ask for testimonials during your monthly Zoom reviews.
Number 6 – Keep Stress in Check
Stress is the silent killer of great service. To maintain a positive, productive team, ensure processes are streamlined and support is readily available.
Stress-Reducing Strategies:
Streamline workflows with automation tools like Plooto for payments.
Build a financial cushion for tight cash flow periods.
Example Metric:
Businesses with proactive cash flow management see 20% fewer disruptions during busy seasons (Source: Small Business Trends).
Conclusion
A formidable service culture is more than a business strategy—it is a way of life that benefits everyone involved. By defining your values, empowering your team, and fostering a positive, feedback-driven environment, you can create a business where customers rave about your service, and your team feels proud to be part of the journey.
Call to Action:
What is one step you can take this week to strengthen your service culture? Whether it is recognizing a team member or asking for customer feedback, start small and build momentum. If you would like more ideas tailored to your business, let us connect during your next monthly Zoom meeting!
These two platforms offer much more than just the one-way screening interview. They are jammed packed with features.
Assessing Candidates
The software will assess your candidates and rank according to the answers to questions you provide, and the time taken to answer.
Here is an example from Vervoe’s website:
“We use a set of algorithmic models that measure the quality and interaction of a candidate’s responses against millions of other similar responses and actions.
If you’re hiring a Call Centre Agent, you might be looking for someone with skills like attention to detail and empathy.
Our models process thousands of responses quickly looking for certain words, sentiments and actions that reflect these values accurately. Candidates that display more of these are graded higher”.
A Lower Priced Alternative
In my research I came across a highly user-friendly alternative, with awesome ratings by their customers.
Our business could not function without it because we are a remote, online business.
We use a dozen or more cloud apps to manage our clients’ finances and our own Team.
Technology, specifically cloud-based software has revolutionized our productivity.
Our clients do not print, sign nor mail cheques. It is all online, done with mouse clicks. (It is also more secure than physical cheques).
Now for the kicker…
Anything, as you all know, that has a light side, has a dark side.
The dark side of technology is that thing stuck to your hand, in your pocket, in your car, next to your computer, on the dining table…your obliquitous cell phone.
You Become The Sum Total of These Five People
There is a saying that claims you become the sum total of the 5 people you hang out with most.
Here is a variation of that one: “May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.”
The challenge is this – most of us spend more time online reading stuff that is not what I would call high level thinking.
Most of us do not want to be covered with the dust of the people we meet on social media.
The distractions of the cell phone, social media, and the website itself can take us away from productive work.
What is the solution?
Media Fasting
Take extended breaks away from social media, messaging, and internet surfing.
As I have mentioned in these Blogs before, I use an app called Freedom. Great name, isn’t it?
With Freedom, you can set it to block websites that you may be addicted to.
Yes, addicted.
To find out if you are actually addicted, think of your favorite dessert.
Let us say it is chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream.
Would you rather give up 1 week of social media, including the internet, or one month of your favorite dessert.
I bet most would choose the dessert!
I use Freedom to block certain news sites that I have a habit of going to throughout the day. The app blocks them on all my laptops and my cell phone.
I use it to block messaging (WhatsApp and Telegram) form 9pm to 7am daily.
I turn my phone off before bed.
Increased Productivity
All this extra time you have claimed can now be used to grow your business. To focus for at least two 90-minute blocks per day, with zero distractions.
All this messaging and internet scrolling is destroying our ability to sustain focused attention on ONE thing.
To test this, try reading a classic novel for 90 minutes straight.
Hard, right?
Two Articles from Freedom to Help You Out
Please check out these two short blogs from Freedom to explore this theme more:
