In almost every company I have worked for, I have fought to get pay rises for the Customer Service team as they are so critical to operations. In every single company, it was a long, drawn out battle and never a given. When you train and retain the best, you get passionate customers. The best products in the world are easily undermined by a bad customer experience, so if you aren't the best you REALLY can't afford to disregard your customers.
@soaklord @wogan and I had a similar conversation about this. The problem is no brand loyalty anymore, and companies either put no effort into their products or the people who make the product and the company great, including all of the support staff. If you want to make a difference do it with your wallet and refuse to buy products from companies who mistreat their employees! #business
@sapadian Brand loyalty is a function of service received. Provide great service alongside great products and you will get loyal customers. Great products and service are a function of great employees given the free reign to do great work, so you are correct in that you need to treat your employees well. They are not your employees, you are but stewards of their careers and the question is whether or not those careers improved under your guidance. Great leaders understand this instinctively.