You have to treat your employees like customers

http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/1080-you-have-to-treat-your-employees-like-customers

by swombat • 18 years ago

36 4 18 years ago

sabat• 18 years ago

Or else?

As the article points out... Or else they'll be more likely to be lured away and, while they're with you, give bad customer service, etc. I certainly know that's true.

I worked in a retail chain a few years ago. At the first store I worked at, the manager went out of his way to take care of us hourly folks. We felt appreciated and were willing to put in extra effort when it was needed. After I moved and went to a different store, I discovered that this wasn't corporate policy. In fact, they seemed to go out of their way to treat employees (even managers and asst. managers) like replaceable cogs. It really lowered my own drive to perform well and eventually was a major contributing factor in my leaving (when I did and under what terms, anyway).

Tekhne• 18 years ago

Edward Deming (and perhaps others) recommended this idea several decades ago. It's nice to see that 37signals is finally catching up though.

swombat• 18 years ago

It'll be nice when everyone else catches on too...

Though many large corporations pay lip service to the idea, most, in my experience, treat their employees pretty badly.

You have to treat your employees like customers

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