Owners and managers must fully support the Customer Service Vision. Your every word and action communicates your commitment to providing the best customer service possible. 

Leadership involves not only creating the Vision, which you did in step 2 but communicating the Vision as in step 3.  Leadership also includes inspiring others to embrace the vision and make it work. Providing front line staff with the tools needed (training, step 4), effective hiring (step 5) and the freedom to work independently and make decisions (empowerment, step 6) are all part of being an effective leader. But there is more you can do.

The Vision must be referenced as often as possible, When you speak about a customer, regardless of how you actually feel about them, you need to keep your Vision firmly in mind.  Be sure your words reflect the ideals of the Vision.

The Vision should be referenced at employee reviews.  Employee reviews are a good time to discuss the Vision and ask how the employee embodies the Vision on a day-to-day basis. Reference the Vision when praising overall performance and areas that need attention. Referring to the Vision during employee reviews keeps the ideas and ideals embodied in the Vision at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts and has the added advantage of  re-establishing its importance.

Use the Vision as a guide in decision making. Employees will notice if decisions you make align with the Vision. Your credibility and employee adherence to the Vision are impacted either negatively or positively by your or your manager’s actions.  The quickest way to undo all the work you put into the Customer Service Vision is to not follow it. 

While step 7 in entitled Leadership, it is really more than a single step. Leadership is a continuing, ongoing aspect of your customer service improvement plan. As a leader, you need to continually talk to and about the Vision, refer to it in inter-organizational communications and work it into your marketing. The more you as a leader communicate the Vision the greater impact you will have on improving customer service and the overall profitability of your company.