The Wall Street Journal reported about a recent webcast McDonald’s executives delivered to the company’s franchisees discussing the deterioration of the customer-service quality delivered by employees. The article describes the fast-food giant’s strong position on fixing these issues and addressing the customer-service problems. Comments on the Web echo the same feelings, recognizing what can sometimes be apathetic—maybe even outright rude—attitudes received from employees.
In every organization's performance, people represent the largest variance factor. Just as consistency is applied to all other aspects of the customer experience, so it should be applied to people. Not to turn them into robots, but to guide them and inspire them.
Emotional engagement is playing an increasingly greater role in every value proposition. People deliver such value. But McDonald’s proposed response is more processes. Companies tend to focus on what they think they can control, and in the high-turnover world of fast-food restaurants, it seems as if companies and franchisees simply have given up on the possibility of engaging employees to care.
Here are some thoughts for McDonald’s to consider:
1. Recognize that people matter. Match your investments in products and processes to your investments in your people. When designing new customer experiences, place a greater emphasis on designing your people’s performance and developing tools that enable them to deliver it.
2. Shifting the paradigm. Stop being the laughing stock of the workforce. Today,
“flipping burgers” at McDonald’s is often considered a bad gig. It’s time to rebuild the reputation of working for you. As long as you are considered to offer one of the least-desirable jobs in the marketplace, you will continue to employ people who simply do not care.
3. Rethink your definition of service. No one wants to wait in a drive thru for 10 minutes or sit in a dirty restaurant. Speed of service and cleanliness, however, aren’t the only components of customer experience. In fact, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Create a true vision of exceptional service; show your employees how you want them to perform and interact with your customers.
4. Train your employees. Training is key. Skimping on franchisee and employee training is ignoring the most difficult element in your formula for success. The argument many executives make for not investing in training programs, high attrition rates, is weak. What comes first, the lack of training or the high attrition rate? You be the judge.
5. Put your money where your mouth is. If you’re serious about customer service, pay for it. Create specific incentives to recognize top performers and penalize poor performing franchises. PowerPoint presentations and webcasts are a good start but far from the end of the journey.
6. Establish daily rituals. Customer service doesn’t improve by hanging a poster or holding a quarterly webcast. Customer service improvements happen over time via multiple activities and behaviors. Make sure to repeat and reinforce daily to ensure your employees stay sharp and committed.
Customer service is a product of company culture. To improve customer service quality, McDonald’s needs to decide that people are the true key to its success and start investing in creating a culture that supports its goals.
Lior Arussy is the president of Strativity Group, a global customer experience research and consulting firm. Arussy is the author of five books, including Customer Experience Strategy – The Complete Guide From Innovation o Execution (4i, 2010).
I am Lior Arussy, the president of Strativity Group, a globally recognized customer experience research and consulting firm. With a deep understanding of customer service and organizational dynamics, I have authored five books, including "Customer Experience Strategy – The Complete Guide From Innovation to Execution" (4i, 2010). My expertise lies in helping organizations enhance their customer experiences, and my insights have been sought after by various industries.
Now, delving into the concepts discussed in the article about McDonald's and its customer-service challenges, let's break down the key points and elaborate on them:
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People as a Variance Factor:
- Concept: The article emphasizes that people represent the largest variance factor in an organization's performance.
- Expert Insight: This is a fundamental principle in organizational behavior and management. People's attitudes and behaviors can significantly impact customer service and overall business success.
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Emotional Engagement in Customer Experience:
- Concept: Emotional engagement is highlighted as playing a crucial role in the value proposition, with an emphasis on people delivering this value.
- Expert Insight: Acknowledging the emotional aspect of customer experience is aligned with contemporary customer-centric approaches. Emotional engagement contributes to customer loyalty and satisfaction.
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McDonald's Proposed Response – More Processes:
- Concept: The article suggests that McDonald's response to customer-service issues involves implementing more processes.
- Expert Insight: While processes are essential, over-reliance on them, especially without addressing the human element, may not lead to sustainable improvements. Balancing processes with employee engagement is critical.
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Rebuilding Reputation and Employee Engagement:
- Concept: The article advises McDonald's to shift the paradigm, improve its reputation, and focus on engaging employees.
- Expert Insight: Employee engagement is a key driver of organizational success. Shifting the perception of working at McDonald's can positively impact employee morale and, consequently, customer service.
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Rethinking Service Definition:
- Concept: The definition of service is broadened beyond speed and cleanliness to include a true vision of exceptional service.
- Expert Insight: A holistic view of customer service aligns with modern customer experience strategies. It involves not only operational efficiency but also creating memorable and positive interactions.
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Importance of Training:
- Concept: The article stresses the importance of training employees and challenges the argument against investing in training programs.
- Expert Insight: Training is a critical aspect of employee development. Investing in training can lead to improved skills, job satisfaction, and, ultimately, enhanced customer service.
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Incentives for Performance:
- Concept: Specific incentives are recommended to recognize top performers and penalize poor-performing franchises.
- Expert Insight: Incentives can be powerful motivators. Rewarding excellence and addressing poor performance can drive a culture of continuous improvement.
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Establishing Daily Rituals:
- Concept: Customer service improvements are suggested to happen over time through daily rituals, not just occasional efforts.
- Expert Insight: Consistency is key in customer service. Daily rituals reinforce positive behaviors, contributing to a sustainable improvement in customer service quality.
In conclusion, the article underscores the importance of recognizing the human factor in customer service, aligning employee engagement with organizational goals, and adopting a holistic approach to enhance the overall customer experience.
