Utility Employees
Deserve Good Service from Managers;
Attitude of Respect Can Translate Into Improved Performance
By David Saxby
Like any other business, utilities need happy
customers and one way to achieve that is to give them good service. But
there’s another kind of customer service that power companies shouldn’t
overlook.
Utilities couldn’t function without their employees and I believe these
people should be viewed as the company’s primary customers. If you treat
your employees with the same respect and care that your utility delivers to
external customers, a refreshing attitude with develop and grow in your
departments and company. Ultimately, that will translate into improved
employee performance.
Managers have the responsibility of leadership and, therefore, they set the
tone for their respective departments. So how are you treating your
employees? Following are five tips for providing great service to power
company employees.
Share your knowledge and experience. Explain to your employees how
decisions are made, especially when it involves them. Acknowledge those
things that they do well but don’t be afraid to point out opportunities for
improvement. Provide suggestions and ideas on how things could be done
differently to achieve that improvement.
Let your employees know they’re valued. Be approachable, smile,
remember the names of employees’ family members and remember employees’
birthdays. Sincerely thank your staff every chance you get. As humans, we
can’t be appreciated enough.
Show you care. Demonstrate that you care about your employees and
their challenges. For example, showing your compassion by being flexible
with hours and time off when possible can go a long way toward achieving
this goal.
Show your trust. Show your employees that you trust them by
delegating projects based on their strengths. Empower your people with the
ability to make financial decisions to solve customers’ problems.
Recognize and reward often. When training employees at a utility, I
ask them if they like to be recognized for their efforts. Without fail,
almost every hand in the room goes up. When I ask them about the last time
management or another department or individual acknowledged them for their
hard work, I get responses such as “I can’t remember when it happened” or
“it’s been a long time.” Management needs to practice recognizing employees
often for the small things they do to serve both internal and external
customers. A hand-written note or a sincere “thank you,” “great job” or “I
appreciate your efforts” will leave a positive and lasting impression.
Be a coach. Developing the personal and professional skills of every
employee is part of a manager’s responsibilities. For example, most
employees didn’t learn communication skills in high school. Provide
constructive feedback to your employees on ways they can improve their
skills with internal and external customers.
Keep your promises concerning reviews and raises. Performance reviews
and salary increases should be given on the promised dates. Don’t kid
yourself – employees have those dates memorized. Employees can be forgiving
about a lot of things but no one likes to feel unappreciated or undervalued.
Resentment can fester if these dates come and go without action.
Remember that your employees are your primary customers. If you treat them
with respect and care, they will treat your external customers with that
same respect and care. Practice what you preach. Walk your talk.
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David Saxby is president of Measure-X, a Phoenix,
Ariz.-based measurement, training and recognition company that specializes in
customer service and sales skill training for utility companies. He can be
reached at 888-644-5499 or via e-mail at
david@measure-x.com. Visit the Measure-X Web site at
www.measure-x.com.
