| Motivational Corner from Petra Marquart |
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Motivational Speaker Corner
Indifference: The Hallmark of Mediocrity in Service Petra Marquart I often ask audiences how they would rate their experiences with customer service. Almost always, the responses run from “bad” to “awful” to “it depends.” These aren’t overwhelming votes of confidence on a subject that has been at the center of business and industry for the past 25 years. But evidence seems to support the audiences’ responses. Just how good or bad is service in the United States? An extensive study conducted in the early 1990’s by TARP (Technical Assistance Research Programs of Arlington, Virginia) found that service in the United States needed to improve by whopping 300 percent to be considered okay. Three hundred percent! That seems almost impossible. But what do customers consider bad service? Although these are all elements of bad service, what made customer dissatisfaction soar to new heights is a disease that I refer to as the cancer of indifference. Employees either quit and leave or quit and stay. When they quit and stay there is always indifference. Has your organization been afflicted yet? You will know it has when you see employees robotically going through the motions. They say all of the right things: “May I help you?” or “I’ll see if we can order another one.” They may function, but they make it perfectly clear that they don’t care. Indifference is the nothingness exhibited by employees who have emotionally quit their jobs but their bodies keep showing up for work. You’ll recognize them by their, “Pardon me, but you have me confused with someone who cares,” attitude. You can’t miss it. It’s written all over their faces and wrapped in the tone of every word they speak. Customers who experience indifference leave the business or hang up the phone feeling empty, frustrated, discounted. The most frustrating aspect of working with these dispirited employees is that they seldom act out or do anything that would qualify them for dismissal. They show up for work every day, usually on time, and go through all the proper motions. They never act abusively or commit any egregious acts of hostility. They just don’t care! They don’t care about their customers, their job, their co-workers and in many instances, themselves. The greatest blow to an organization is that indifference is contagious. Employees suffering from it (and I do mean suffering) unconsciously affect the spirit of everyone one around them. No organization, large or small, can stay the course with employees who don’t care. Be certain that everyone within your organization is alive and energized and fully committed to doing their best. |
Topics include: Customer Service, Leadership, Culture, Change, Empowerment, Reward, Conflict Management, Self Esteem. |