HOW MANAGEMENT SUPPORT IMPROVES CUSTOMER SERVICE
As corporate conglomerates keep growing and local firms get ever smaller, customer service seems to suffer. Razor-thin margins force many companies to cut corners, especially when it comes to personnel. Tasking a shrinking workforce with maintaining service and production levels creates a losing proposition for all:
- Managers and employees burn out quickly, unable to succeed under impossible circumstances.
- Customers receive disappointing service from overworked support staff.
- Companies must replace a continuous outflow of customers and employees.
That’s why Sunstates Security continues to follow a more traditional approach to business operation and growth. The company invests resources into recruiting and supporting the right people, who in turn take care of Sunstates’ employees and clients. Double-digit organic growth in each of the past five years bears out the success of this strategy.
Prioritizing personal service
Sunstates Security managers are responsible for much smaller portfolios than their counterparts at national firms—typically one-third the size. The lighter work load frees them to spend more time with clients, as well as with security officers, in person. Sunstates managers are able to visit accounts and discuss client needs as part of their daily responsibilities—not only during an incident. The result is high customer satisfaction, as evidenced by monthly client surveys and a client retention rate that exceeds 95%.
“We’re growing our business the old-fashioned way,” says Sunstates President Glenn Burrell, CPP, “through rock-solid customer service. We want every interaction with Sunstates to create a positive impression. This philosophy applies to our dealings with everyone, from clients and employees to vendors and visitors.”
Burrell leads Sunstates management by example, visiting client sites to talk not only to the client, but also to employees. “We stay in touch with what employees need,” says Burrell. “If a branch manager isn’t on a first-name basis with everyone at a site, we’ve got a problem.”
Retention and reward
Workforce retention and continuity are another key part of customer service. Sunstates empowers managers to act and gives them the tools and the personnel they need to succeed. In an industry that’s notorious for high turnover, Sunstates takes the opposite road. “We hire the right people for the right job, and we make sure they’re invested in staying with us,” says Robb Rogalski, Vice President of Operations.
The Sunstates Learning Management System includes courses on leadership and management skills, as well as security and safety practices. Rogalski says, “Rather than looking outside for talent, we have found it’s more effective to develop it and promote from within. It’s good for us, certainly, but more importantly it’s good for our customers, because having officers and managers who know their job and the customer is the best way to meet clients’ needs.”
Sunstates Security has been providing premium customer service since 1998. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.
