The SCORE 2016 Issue 4 | Page 37

Excellence :

The Leadership Factor

stops . The new jetway system will allow employees to unload and load the plane from the front and rear doors simultaneously , dramatically improving the efficiency of the process . It is clear that the leadership team doesn ’ t simply tell the staff to be friendly . They put systems in place that enhance the ability of their personnel to provide outstanding service . The message is a powerful one . Is it any wonder that Southwest Airlines has the lowest employee turnover in the industry ?
Keep the vision in front of the team
It is not enough to state the message of service excellence a single time and expect that behaviors will magically change .
Research shows that repetition is the key to behavior change . Use all of your communication vehicles available to stress the importance of customer service . For example , make it your policy to start every meeting with a customer service item , either a story , a problem or challenge facing the team or a discussion of service measurement data . Employees will soon get the idea that these discussions are part of the normal course of business and will , over time , begin participating in the discussions .
Use your internal newsletter to communicate your service commitment . More importantly , use the newsletter to tell stories of excellent service . Share specific stories of employee
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THESCORE | 2016 Issue 4