Company, Customer Service

Front line employees (employees that interact with your customers on a daily basis) simply are not given enough training, or the tools they need to achieve ultimate success. Organizations tend to train and spend more time working with higher level employees-managers, directors, etc. There is a fundamental flaw in this practice. Everywhere you go, you read or hear about customer service and providing an exceptional client experience. This should be every organization’s goal, so why then is so little investment put in to our receptionists, billers, intake specialists, and other customer facing employees? 

Here are a few reasons why….

3 Reasons Companies Neglect The Importance Of Front Line Employees:

1. Managers think these jobs are easy and require little training and development.
2. High turnover in these jobs cause organizations to hire quickly, and get the new employees up and running prior to having a robust and dynamic orientation.
3. Organizations simply do not have a strong training program implemented, nor do they have efficient standard operating procedures in place for employees to learn from.

Here’s the truth….

3 Reasons To Invest Your Time In Your Front Line Employees:

1. These jobs are difficult, and require training specifically in the technology you use, customer service, and what your organization’s vision is, and what the goals are. Without this knowledge and understanding, these good employees may not see the importance in what they do.
2. Turnover is cyclical, and will continue if employees are not trained properly. When a new employee starts, give them the amount of training and attention they need. Other workers can man the ship while your new employee is becoming proficient in your systems. Take your time with them, and you will see positive results. Rush them, and it will have negative effects that trickle down throughout your organization.
3. Spend time to create a training program that teaches your employees how you want them to be at work. Your SOP’s should be step by step instructions that a new employee can follow with minimal help to complete a process. Have an SOP written for every process or task you want somebody to complete.  This will eliminate bottlenecks, and make it easier for managers to manage their employees.

Invest your time and training in your front line employees. You will see a happier work force, and a happier customer base.  When you do this, you are separating your organization from the one’s down the road.