Loyalty Starts at the Top

Customer Servces

Loyalty Starts at the Top
by Debra Schmidt



Today’s businesses are losing customers and employees in record numbers.  Customer loyalty is on the decline, but many companies are treating the symptoms instead of the causes of their customer retention problems.

Customer loyalty is the responsibility of everyone within an organization.  It must start internally and be a “top-down” initiative.  CEOs, business owners and senior management need to recognize that their employees are their primary customers.  Employees deserve and expect the same caring service that is given to the external customers.

In order to create a loyalty-focused culture, customer service training needs to start at the top.  Customer loyalty is earned by consistently exceeding customers’ and employees’ expectations with outstanding service.  This can only be achieved when managers are held accountable for their internal customer service skills—how they deal with their employees and co-workers.

Employee attitudes are significantly affected by the way employees are treated by upper management.  One of the most important aspects of improving customer retention is a total commitment to loyalty by the CEO or business owner.  This commitment must be demonstrated daily at all levels of the organization for the employees to clearly observe.


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Emmy nominee, entrepreneur, author, television personality and winner of six national marketing awards, Debra J. Schmidt is one of the nation’s most versatile speakers and trainers. She is known as America’s “Customer Loyalty Ambassador” and author of Spe