Many organizations understand the need for training frontline
workers to be polite, empathetic, and knowledgeable. But great frontline
service is simply not enough. Everyone in the company is responsible for
delivering the results the customer wants.
For example, a major airline subcontracted a shuttle service to
fly passengers from a hub to the smaller airports in the region. Frontline
workers were polite, industrious, and efficient. Unfortunately, the planes were
never on time, when they took off at all. Flights were canceled almost
continuously. Passengers constantly arrived hours or even a day late,
frequently missing important events and meetings. Eventually, the poorly run
shuttle service lost its contract and went out of business.
Obviously, great frontline service is critical for success in
any organization. But, as this story shows, capability cannot stop at the front
line if the company is to be profitable. When capability is lacking anywhere,
it compromises the company's ability to deliver what the customers want. In the
case of the airline, that was reliable transportation.
As a manager, you have the power and responsibility to
strengthen the first link in the service-profit chain: employee capability.
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