Leadership and Employee Relationships
THE CONVENIENCE STORE INDUSTRY will always be a people business. For many years that meant putting the customer first, rightfully so it seemed, since they were the ones spending money.
But gradually over the past decade the top quartile convenience store chains realized the value they had in their people and that began a fundamental shift to a strict employee-first focus. This transition in priorities has been extremely effective and it hasn’t really been talked about enough. Simply put, when your employees feel valued, they’ll create a better experience for your customers, and, in turn, drive business up along with your company’s reputation.
In the competitive convenience store industry, having great employees has become your greatest competitive advantage. But it’s hard work. Human resources consultant Mel Kleiman tells me all the time, “The reason companies don’t have great employees is because they are not willing to put in the time and effort to get them and then keep them.”
In their bestselling book “Emotional Intelligence 2.0,” Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves focus in on relationship management. They conclude that as leaders, solid relationships must be sought and cherished. If you want to lead people and get them to understand your mission, you must have a connection with them—a real connection, not just a weekly memo and a quarterly store tour.
“The difference between an interaction and a relationship is a matter of frequency,” the authors said. “It’s a product of the quality, depth and time you spend interacting with another person.”
Sounds like common sense, right? But how many c-store leaders are really following through on this strategy? Many studies have shown that employees value being recognized for great work over pay increases. If this is the case, you must do everything in your power to adopt this as a standard operating procedure for attracting and retaining talent. Little things like a letter of appreciation or a $20 gift card can be the boost to your staffi ng efforts that you have always been looking for, and it’s been within your reach the whole time.
FOLLOW THE LEADERS
Many of the great retailers that are celebrated for their customer service in and outside of the convenience store industry are quick to pin their success on their employees. I recently read an interview in Inc. magazine with Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, widely recognized for its corporate culture. He was effusive in his praise of his employees.
“It sort of should go without saying—and it’s surprising that it still doesn’t go without saying at some companies—that if a person who works for you is 100% proud of the job they’re doing, if you give them the tools to do a good job, they’re going to be proud to represent your brand. ” Branson said. “If they feel they are being looked after and treated well, then they’re going to smile, they’re going to be happy and your customers will have a nice experience.”
However, if your employees are not given the right tools, are not looked after and not appreciated, “they are not going to do things with a smile and therefore the customer will be treated in a way where they won’t want to come back,” Branson said. “So, my philosophy has always been, if you can put staff first, your customer second and shareholders third, effectively, in the end, the shareholders do well, the customers do better and you can be proud of the effort.”
This leadership strategy helped Branson create a global empire so it’s hard to argue against his philosophy. But, again, the key to success is frequency. If you’re only going to drop by once a quarter, don’t bother. Your employees are likely already looking for another opportunity where they will feel valued.