Readers Sound Off: Who Comes First — Employees or Customers?

What’s more critical to running a successful business — happy workers or loyal customers? The question sparked such a lively discussion recently in the Customer Service Professionals group on LinkedIn, we decided to share some of the highlights. Gary Woodard, who started the discussion, says the bottom line is what matters most.

Many argued that keeping employees satisfied and happy boosts customer service levels, and therefore drive the company’s revenues — a theme we’ve explored at length here on the SmartVan.



But that feeling was hardly universal — many argued that the customer should always come first.

 

Many, in the end, said that both elements play into each other — a sort of chicken and egg conundrum.

What do you think? Join the discussion here.

More: Reader Roundup: Best Ways to Evaluate Service Techs.

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  • William Sowelll

    “Happy customer” being part the ever changing way that we do business (priorities) is the reason for companies making the grade or not. Today, to stay competitive in any market you just about have to give the product away, which means lower first cost in order to make the profits that will applied to the balance sheet satisfying the share holders. Ah, there you have it, we’ve put the share holder a above everyone else! That’s the way public companies are managed today.

    Truly think about the conventional items we all use to receive, health care, pay raises, bonuses if applicable we have change the face of each and every industry to achieve the common goal-the stock holder-so in retrospect to the question we can please the employee or the customer first that has been changed.

    The stock holder-were them, so we have no one to blame but ourselves. We’ve all become profiteers in our own right trying produce the finances required to survive this ever changing world we live in. Today what I have been seeing in a lot of start up companies, is their actually going back to basics as the owner realizes the importance of both, the customer and the employee and will often make certain promises to both once the revenue grows by taking better care of each. Added benefits, increases in salaries just to name a few for the employee and for the customer price reductions or additional items or services that that will make them realize the benefit of having them as a vendor.

    I’m sure we all realize without one you wouldn’t have the other, so get back to basics take care of both and they’ll take care of you. To use Jean J phrase-lets put the horse before the cart and sit back and enjoy the ride!