Guest Column - “The Essence of Service” by Joan Fox
Joan Fox is owner and president, Eagle Inspiration Training & Development
August 1, 2009
Lincoln Maly Marketing will feature guest columnists who will share their vision and inspiration for excellence, passion, innovation, creativity, and service.
In this month's website guest column, Joan Fox, a nationally respected customer service training presenter and author, reflects on iconic individuals such as Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr., and John F Kennedy. Joan poses the question: is it possible for hearts such as those that beat in these ultimate public servants, to beat in the bodies of those who routinely serve customers.
Joan Fox is owner and president of Eagle Inspiration Training & Development, a national firm specializing in management development and customer service strategizing and training.
A more detailed bio is included at the end of this guest column.
The Essence of Service
by Joan Fox
When I think of great servants, my mind conjures up images of Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. These individuals have become iconic because of their incredible desire to serve humanity and the sacrifices they made in the name of their convictions. They are known as the ultimate public servants.
These legendary servants make me ponder our interpretation of service in business today. I think about the remarkable heart that beat within each of these individuals, and wonder if it is possible for this heart to beat in the bodies of those who routinely serve customers.
I have devoted my professional life to understanding customer service and assisting companies in creating cultures of customer service. Putting systems, standards and processes in place is critical to the sustainability of a service culture. But these ingredients alone are not guarantees of a great customer experience. To produce an amazing customer experience, the organization must have a clear and compelling mission. Additionally, the individuals charged with achieving the mission must be aligned with it, feel a sense of purpose from it, and above all, they must believe in it.
When people believe in what they are doing, they bring passion to it. And this passion is ignited when companies clearly communicate their mission to the employees pitching it in a way that it would be hard to not get excited.
I believe that quality of service is felt on a continuum. Willingness-to-serve is on one end of the spectrum while the desire-to-serve is on the other. This difference may seem indistinguishable at first glance, but here is another way to look at it. If you were in an automobile accident, would you rather be rescued by an EMT who was well trained or a well-trained EMT who helped you with empathy, care, and a humanness not required by their job description alone?
The people that we interact with daily - including the coffee house barista brewing our lifeline morning coffee; the bank teller assisting us with a cash transfer; the office supply clerk helping us select the right toner cartridge - are all willing to serve. After all, they show up for work and do what is asked of them every day. But truly extraordinary customer experiences occur when these employees desire to serve - - when they are doing what they are asked because they want to help.
Is it possible to create an environment in which doing a routine job becomes something we desire to do? Yes, it is.
It could even become the norm.
But we’ve got to get better -- better at fully engaging our employees in our mission and helping them understand that what they do is important. We’ve got to be forthright in helping employees make the connection between what they do at work and the purpose of their work. The secret is moving people from willing-to-serve to desirous-of-serving. The day we succeed at this, the heart that beats in the chest of every great servant can beat in those whom we count on to serve us every day.
About Joan Fox
Joan is the founder of Eagle Inspiration Training & Development, Inc. a nationally respected firm whose mission is to increase the capacity of organizations to ‘compete and win with service.’
She is a sought-after speaker and consultant as a customer service expert ‘specializing in profoundly improving the customer’s experience.’ Her seminars have been presented to associations, professional organizations, small, mid-sized and large corporations. A highlight in her career was a series of presentations she was asked to make to the leadership of Disney.
Joan is the author of “The Chronicles of Sir Vival – Customer Service Under Seige.”
Joan Fox can be reached at .
