Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers

- Stephen R. Covey

Too many entrepreneurs will take great care of their key customer but will often negligent in regards to their employees. What does not make sense is that you can’t actually serve your customers well without your team. So as much as you worry when a customer is not happy or are afraid that he might purchase your competitor’s product – you should do the same with your employees.

Are my employees happy and motivated?
Don’t just do a survey, make sure that each and every employee are happy and motivated about the work they are doing for your company. Just like you have account managers for your esteemed customers, you need “employee” managers. These managers need to be both your middle management as well as investing in HR management (yes HR is not just for hiring and firing people).

Maximize employee retention
Again, we worry about customer retention and we need to do the same with our staff. We should know exactly why someone leaves and go to work for someone else. Each departure can send a message to the market about your business. Regular 1:1 employee meetings are important just like you have regular customer calls and meetings.

Move at the speed of your “customers”
Would you refuse to sell to a customer because he wants to buy to quickly? Would you be happy if you would lose customers because your sales process is too complex and long for them? Of course not. This also applies to your hiring process. You need to move at the speed (within reason of course) of your employees and not let a lengthy process make you lose top talent. Its a sellers market right now and key employees won’t hang around for you to make up your mind about hiring them.

Bottom line, look at each of your current and potential employees as a customer base that you need to cater to. Of course, you’re still the boss but caring and authority can successfully co-exist.