By MBA Gonzalo Mucharraz*
Going back to the pre-pandemic era, specifically 2019, we were about to launch a program for service companies in tourist locations and, after analyzing it with many experts, the program was based on the methodology of cases chosen especially to deal with the problems typical of companies in this sector, as well as best practices of each of the participating companies, a hallmark of this program.
After many hours of work and development, we consulted cases and investigations about the world’s leading service companies, and we realized that the root of an excellent service depends -almost– in its entirety of the experience that the client receives from the staff of the company.
This led us to reflect that the employees of a service company, in order to obtain that excellence, must have several characteristics in addition to the expected special and dignified treatment by the companies, within it a fair compensation, at least 2 days of rest, vacations in accordance with the new law that is about to be published, recognition, sufficient powers to be able to carry out their work well, training, motivation and the importance of emotional salary, as well as compensating our collaborators with the best possible working conditions for the company; these benefits always return to the company with more than the investment we make.
Something that we have commented on in previous articles is that people’s behavior is free and not predictable, no matter how much we put all the elements and controls on the part of the company, the person can decide to act differently. An IPADE professor told us: “human behavior is probabilistic, not deterministic”, thereby saying that we cannot be behaviorists, people do not react to a stimulus immediately as expected.
We each have an environment that surrounds us, a personal and family history, a culture, some values. As we have discussed in previous articles, the faculties, specifically human, intelligence and will, and of course freedom that brings us closer or further away from one of the most studied, sought after and commented goals today, happiness.
However, it is important to consider and have in place the basic characteristics for an excellent execution of the service that the company depends on:
- Fair compensation. Today’s business leaders like Howard Schultz, [1]honorary president of Starbucks, tells us that every day the company divides the benefits it receives into 3 in the so-called “new vision of the company” for profit: a third part for the shareholders 34%, a third part for the employees through salaries and benefits 33% and finally, a third part to the communities that help the business prosper 33%.
What it means is to balance the profit motive with a social conscience. On the other hand, this initiative of the CEO of Starbucks has been transmitted to multiple companies internationally in an initiative called “come together.”
- Training. If we require an implementation of processes and an excellent service, we must make sure that our employees have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform an excellent job, as well as the empowerment and sufficient faculties to be able to solve the problems they face every day. This is why best practices must be carried out and constant updating of employees must be an important part of the strategy of each company.
- Motivation. According to Pérez López’s scheme, motivation is the internal force that leads people to move to do something. His definition is: “Motivation is the impulse that initiates, guides and maintains behavior, until reaching the desired goal or objective” and he classifies them into 4 types:[2].
- intrinsic. It is the one that moves the person because they like the professional activity they carry out and it helps them to develop.
- extrinsic. It is characterized by a movement of the person to carry out their activity for money, power and recognition; that is, for external reasons that move his actions.
- Transcendent. The person carries out his activity out of a genuine interest in serving others and the community.
- Transcendental. The person carries out his professional activity to serve others in addition to approaching his ultimate goal of happiness when he carries out this activity.
If as a company we want to provide excellent service above market standards and delight our customers, we must bear in mind that the secret is the development and satisfaction of the people who collaborate with us in service companies.
There is nothing more pleasant than being treated with kindness, respect, attention and in a special way, as one deserves to be treated for their dignity as a human being.
*Gonzalo Mucharraz He is a Postgraduate academic in the Master of Human Capital. School of Pedagogy, Pan American University
Editor’s note: This text belongs to our Opinion section and reflects only the author’s vision, not necessarily the High Level point of view.
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[1] NANCY F. KOEHN et al HBS Starbucks Coffee Company; Transformation and Renewal;
[2] Apud;A new theory of motivation; The anthropological model of Juan Antonio Pérez López; Spain, 1997