Using employee engagement surveys to boost customer satisfaction and loyalty

If you need to increase your company's competitiveness and profit, where should you start? Should you focus on your employees first, or should you start by focusing on your customers first? In reality, you need to do both.



It is almost always best to start by focusing on your employees first. Highly satisfied and engaged employees are essential for achieving high levels of customer satisfaction, retention and long-term loyalty. Start by listening to your employees and taking action based on their ongoing feedback.



Conduct an employee survey / employee engagement survey to gather information, suggestions and insight from your employees. Ask them what it is they like about working for your company and what can be done to help them do their jobs more effectively, as well as do a better job of taking care of customers.Include questions about the effectiveness of internal communications, business processes, teamwork and how employees feel about your company's direction.



Make sure your employee surveys / employee engagement surveys also include questions about effectiveness of supervisors and managers, empowerment, ability of employees to make suggestions, effectiveness of rewards and recognition, fairness of compensation, adequacy of employee benefits, treatment of diverse groups and fear in the workplace. Include questions about quality, customer service and ways to increase productivity. Ask questions about anything that may be positively or negatively impacting employees' and customers.



Don't be surprised if you end up identifying a very large number of challenges and opportunities. If challenges and problems exist, you need to know about them, prioritize them and take action. There is no single silver bullet. Identifying and addressing the top three problems is not enough, especially when there are many more problems that are impacting your employees and customers.



It is important to do a thorough and objective job of analyzing the survey findings. It is then equally important to create a comprehensive action plan and to do a good job of getting everyone involved and executing the plan effectively. This requires communicating the results of surveys so that employees know that you listened to them and that you are committed to making needed changes based on their feedback.



Your goal should be to use the employee survey results to achieve large-scale increases in employee engagement and satisfaction, with a much greater focus on your customers and meeting or exceeding their expectations.



To ensure that you are achieving success, conduct employee attitude surveys annually to measure progress and to identify any new challenges and opportunities that surfaced since the previous employee survey. Your focus on and commitment to continuous improvement will ensure continued customer satisfaction and loyalty.



Once you start to achieve positive results, you should also conduct customer surveys to assess customer satisfaction levels and to see how your customers feel about your company, your employees, your products and services and other key issues that drive customer satisfaction and retention. Don't be afraid to ask customers about things you know you are not doing well. You need to learn about how customers feel. Guessing isn't good enough. Your customers are probably also buying from your competitors. It is important that you learn first-hand how they compare your company, products and services with those of your competitors.



In summary, take good care of your employees, set the right direction, provide good leadership, identify problems and opportunities, take action and measure ongoing progress. This will enable your company to attract and retain customers and to be competitive and profitable.



Courtesy of BPT

Essential tools for parents to navigate teen health issues

(BPT) - Parents of teenagers face a delicate balancing act between taking care of their teens and allowing them freedom to make their own decisions. Teens themselves seem to understand the importance of good health; in a survey by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) two out of three surveyed teens said they worry a lot or a great deal about staying healthy. However, when it comes to handling health issues, parents need to remain in the driver's seat.



"Parents need to know that it's going to be okay," says internationally recognized author and parenting expert Dr. Michele Borba, Ed.D. "Even though the teen years are a difficult time, we can't let the kids take the lead, especially with their health. Now more than ever parents must be vigilant and involved. There are actually some simple ways to help guide them - and not try to control them."



While teens face many health-related issues, experts recommend that parents focus on three key teen health issues and consider some simple approaches to instill good habits solutions:



1. Oral Health



Parents and teens both know that brushing and flossing are essential for good oral health. But they may be unaware that crooked teeth (also called malocclusion), if left untreated, can lead to periodontal disease and premature wearing of the teeth. Crooked teeth can put abnormal stress on teeth and jaws and cause difficulty with effectively biting, chewing and speaking.



While straight, attractive teeth can certainly boost a teen's mental health and self esteem, teeth straightening is clearly much more than just a cosmetic issue. It's easier than ever to straighten teeth, with choices like Invisalign Teen (www.invisalign.com) that eliminate many of the negatives associated with traditional braces. Because the plastic, removable appliances are nearly invisible, teens no longer have to worry about having the conspicuous look of metal braces. Plus, removing the aligners allows wearers easier access to brushing and flossing, which reduces the risk of tooth decay.



As the mouth is truly the health gateway to the body, experts suggest a complete oral health routine including brushing, flossing and regular visits to the dentist and orthodontist.



2. Stress



Extreme stress isn't good for anyone, and today's teens have more on their plates than ever before - from academic and extracurricular commitments and college preparation to family obligations, friendships and even working outside the home. Doctors polled in the NFID study reported stress-related conditions were among the topics teens and parents were most likely to bring up at their annual checkups.



In addition to short-term physical symptoms like increased heart rate and breathing, headache, neck stiffness and pain, and stomach upset, stress can create long-term problems, too. Over time, stress can affect the immune system, heart, blood pressure, lungs, reproductive organs and stomach. In teens, it can make existing acne even worse.



One simple solution is more exercise. Getting off the couch or away from the computer screen and engaging in physical activity is a great stress buster. Exercise releases tension and excess energy, and provides physical and cosmetic benefits, too.



3. Diet and weight



More than a third of American children and teens are obese or overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health experts agree, however, that weight is only one reason to emphasize a healthy diet for teens. Good nutrition is just as important for teens as it is for young children, since teenagers' bodies go through stressful development and mentally they are creating eating habits that can follow them throughout life.



The single most important way parents can teach teens about health, diet and lifestyle habits is to model those habits themselves, experts agree. Involve teens in meal-planning and preparation, demonstrating good nutrition and healthful choices. Encourage physical activity by engaging the entire family in fun, healthful exercise such as cycling, hiking or playing sports together.



Just talking about weight, diet and appearance is not only not enough, it can actually be detrimental to teens' health. A study by the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis found that when parents focus on weight, size and appearance when talking to teens, they may actually increase a teen's risk of engaging in unhealthy weight-control measures - such as fad diets or binge eating.



Even though they're approaching adulthood, teens still need parental guidance and support when it comes to health, but not interference. The NFID study found that 60 percent of teens could come up with at least one reason to ditch their annual checkup, with a third thinking they only need to see a doctor when sick. But of those who did get a checkup, 84 percent of doctors surveyed said exams went better when parents took a supportive stance outside the exam room.



Courtesy of BPT