Creating a Culture of Care

Within the service industry, no matter the field, the word ‘care’ has been utilised and promoted quite often; especially to define the way in which customers are to be treated by those providing a service. In recent time, significant emphasis has been placed on customer care as studies show that customers who feel genuinely cared for not only remain loyal but also refer others to experience the same type of quality care received from the service provider.

While this is in fact true, a sobering thought though, is that the same level of emphasis is not placed on care the further away one gets from customer facing staff. Sure, not all employees are in direct contact with customers in banking halls, but it remains the duty of all staff to exhibit the same level of care when interacting with internal customers ̶ our colleagues ̶ as well.

Building an organisation-wide culture of care does not happen overnight, but requires a concerted effort from all levels. Genuine care and concern must be shown by management to all members of staff, which will in turn flow all the way to the customer being served at the teller counter. The idea of caring more may seem quite trivial in the grand scheme of things; however it’s a solution that doesn’t require much effort to be implemented and one that will undoubtedly reap a positive return on investment in the long run. A well cared-for staff body boasts of a fulfilling employee experience, bolsters brand reputation and improves the overall productivity of the organisation.

So whether checking in with your team from time to time, giving a listening air, being empathetic to a co-worker’s struggles or going the extra mile to solve a query, your care is being noticed and more than likely will be reciprocated. Remember, whether you’re frontline staff in the financial services sector or the manager of a restaurant chain, a little caring goes a long way.