Great customer experiences start with your employees

Great customer experiences start with your employees

As much as we may not like to admit it, employee engagement has taken a hit. People are certainly staying in their jobs but they’re not necessarily feeling connected or motivated. This presents a unique challenge: how can companies deliver exceptional customer experiences when their employees are disengaged? 

We’re navigating a tricky landscape where traditional approaches to customer and employee experience are being reevaluated. There are two dominant schools of thought on this: 

“The most important single thing is to focus obsessively on the customer.” – Jeff Bezos, Amazon 

“Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” – Sir Richard Branson 

While both perspectives hold merit, research and real-world examples consistently point to one critical insight: If your employees aren’t thriving, your customer experience (CX) will inevitably fall short. Focusing on employee experience (EX) is simply foundational to delivering an outstanding customer journey. 

The link between EX and CX 

Think about the people interacting with your customers every day. What do you think happens if they feel unsupported, disempowered, or disconnected from your company’s goals? How can they authentically deliver on your brand’s promises? Disengaged employees tend to go through the motions, which leads to poor customer experiences. 

These employee experiences highlight this reality and may be similar to what you’ve already heard from your workforce: 

“My manager makes me feel useless and only cares about how much money they can make.” 

“Our managers try to make each other look bad rather than support one another.” 

“I’m just doing what I have to do to keep my job.” 

“I’ve been misled about future career development.” 

“We don’t know why we’re doing what we’re doing; it’s like we’re just spinning our wheels.” 

It’s clear that when employees are disengaged, the customer experience suffers. So, how do you shift the focus to ensure your employees thrive and, in turn, create positive customer interactions? 

The foundation of self-determination and intrinsic motivation 

The Self-Determination Theory (SDT), developed by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, highlights three core psychological needs that must be met for employees to be motivated and engaged at work:

1 Autonomy

Employees need to feel they have control over their tasks and decision-making.

2 Competence

Providing opportunities for skill development and mastery is crucial.

3 Relatedness

Fostering meaningful connections and a sense of belonging creates a positive work environment. 

Similarly, Daniel Pink, in his book ‘Drive,’ distilled this concept down to three key motivators: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. At Insync, we’vce drawn from these research insights and our own surveys to tweak this slightly and identify four core motivators: Relationships, Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. 

When employees feel empowered and connected through these motivators, they are more engaged, productive, and—crucially—better positioned to deliver an exceptional customer experience. 

How to boost employee engagement and, by extension, customer satisfaction 

A thriving workplace needs one primary thing: A culture that fosters an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and empowered. Here are some actionable steps to improve EX, which in turn will positively impact your CX: 

• Help employees understand how their roles contribute to broader company goals. Engage them in shaping business plans and strategies to foster a sense of ownership. 

• Empower employees to express their ideas and take action without fear of being dismissed. If an idea can’t be implemented, explain why to help them feel heard and valued. 

• Encourage employees to solve problems independently and take ownership of tasks. Provide clear objectives and regular feedback to guide them toward success. 

• Offer opportunities for skill development through new tasks, challenges, and on-the-job learning. Tailor these opportunities to each employee’s personal growth goals. 

• Encourage team bonding and ensure new employees are well-integrated. Positive work relationships can greatly enhance job satisfaction and performance. 

• Cultivate an inclusive culture that respects diverse backgrounds and experiences. Highlight the value of different perspectives and how they contribute to your team’s success. 

These strategies will boost employee engagement and create higher-quality customer interactions. Why? Because employees who are motivated and connected, are more likely to go above and beyond for your customers. 

Does focusing on employee experience mean ignoring customer experience?  

Absolutely not. The two are inherently linked—employee engagement drives customer loyalty and advocacy. When employees feel supported and empowered, they are more capable of delivering exceptional service. 

To measure customer experience effectively, it’s important to gather feedback on key metrics such as satisfaction, loyalty, and customer effort. However, without addressing employee experience, these metrics won’t tell the full story. 

To exemplify this further, think about profitable growth driven by a cycle that begins with employee empowerment and engagement. High-growth organisations focus on supporting their employees with clear direction, expectations, and development opportunities, which leads to higher engagement and retention.  

Engaged employees are more productive and customer-focused, fostering stronger relationships with clients. This customer engagement, in turn, contributes to customer loyalty and advocacy, ensuring steady revenues and creating a foundation for sustainable growth. Combining motivated employees and loyal customers also fuels innovation and productivity, further strengthening profit margins. 

The key to maintaining this cycle is understanding its interconnected nature. Investing in your people leads to better customer outcomes, which then drives profitability. Profitable growth allows organisations to reinvest in employee empowerment, reinforcing the cycle.  

Improve your EX and CX with Insync 

At Insync, we specialise in EX and CX. We design tailored solutions that align with your company’s goals, ensuring that your employees and customers thrive. Our integrated, evidence-based approach gives you the insights you need to make informed decisions that benefit everyone involved. 

If you want to transform your employee and customer experience, reach out to Insync today to explore our range of world-class, fit-for-purpose services. We’ll help you stay ahead in today’s competitive market.