Multiple research studies have shown that measuring employee performance drives revenue and profitability. Continuous measurement helps individual employees overcome weakness, emphasize their strengths, gain a sense of direction, and know what’s expected of them. According to research by Gallup, employees who have clear, well-defined expectations about their roles are more successful, and that, in turn, leads to more loyal customers and repeat business. As you start setting up means by which to measure employee performance, be sure to consider the following basic guidelines:

Real-Time Capabilities. An effective feedback solution should deliver real-time employee performance information while the experience is still fresh and useful. You can’t afford to wait days or weeks to fix operational problems or to implement suggestions.

Use Continuous Monitoring. A one-time snapshot of employee productivity is not overly useful, but a continual finger-on-the-pulse measure can capture the operational issues that need to be improved. Daily monitoring is required in order to effect continuous change.

Share the Information. Every employee must know what customers are experiencing. An effective feedback solution should provide reports that are easily accessible on the Web, at all levels in the organization.

Take Action. Even real-time, continuous feedback is no good unless you take action. Improve employee performance by listening to your employees and also your customers. Respond to their needs. Involve them in solutions.

There is a cause-and-effect relationship between great customer service and a loyal customer base. Great customer service must come first, and monitoring customer experience is a crucial step in building loyal, effective, and performance-oriented employees.

Richard D. Hanks
President
Mindshare Technologies
Salt Lake City, Utah

About Mindshare Technologies
Mindshare helps companies improve operational excellence, foster consumer satisfaction, build customer loyalty, and support employee retention. Our industry experts guide clients in building comprehensive Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) solutions. Mindshare's proprietary survey technology captures the voice of the customer in real-time and immediately transforms it into actionable intelligence through powerful and incisive reporting. As a hosted system, Mindshare is affordable and flexible, providing automated surveys and reports tailored to each client’s specific needs. The reports are web-accessible 24/7 or by scheduled email delivery. Mindshare serves more than 25 different industries including travel, hospitality, restaurant, financial, salon, automotive, and retail. Clients range from small regional chains to large multinational corporations. For information, visit www.mshare.net.