Cultivating Consumer Advocacy Through Employees

An employee’s positive attitude and behavior are key in cultivating consumer advocacy. When employees of an organization conduct themselves in a positive manner, consumers are more receptive to becoming an advocate of that brand (Azzarello, Debruyne, & Mottura, 2012). A survey conducted by top management consulting firm Bain & Company proves that the overall experience of dealing with a company (i.e. interactions with employees) often matters more to customers than a price or brand. As if often seen, happiness is contagious and the same is true for the enthusiasm of engaged employees onto other employees and customers.

But what is so great about engaged employees and why is this important? In a study that encompassed 7 years, Bain & Company found that companies with highly engaged workers grew revenues two and a half times as much as those with low engagement levels (Assarello et al., 2012). Engaged employees direct their energy toward the right tasks and outcomes, convey a strong sense of purpose, and create a sense of affiliation (Azzarello et al., 2012). When dealing with customers, engaged employees convey a sense of job satisfaction: they are happy working for the organization, they are treated well, and it’s a brand they trust. In turn, happier employees provide a more enriching customer experience.

Companies that succeed at engaging employees do a good job of communicating and explaining the “why.” This “why” helps promote a sense of purpose to employees in any organization. Positive feedback goes a long way. One common thread is that people think feedback should always be negative. However, positive feedback is a “powerful reinforcement of desired behaviors and reminder of the employee’s purpose” (Azzarello et al., 2012, p. 5). This report by Bain & Company highlights that performance metrics need to be tailored to each company to promote customer advocacy. In addition, gaining feedback from call centers, for example, for departments that typically don’t directly interact with customers, such as marketing or engineering, can have a direct impact on the customer experience and create cross-functional collaboration.

References:

Azzarello, D., Debruyne, F., and Mottura, L. (2012).  The chemistry of enthusiasm. Bain & Company. Retrieved from http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/the-chemistry-of-enthusiasm.aspx