The Importance Of Gratitude
This time of year, many people are thinking about all the things they are thankful for. That’s great because being thankful and appreciative promotes a positive attitude.
There are volumes of books that show the direct correlation between a positive attitude and a person’s success and overall happiness.
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey
Being thankful and showing gratitude is something we should do every day, even in business. There are many benefits to this and significant results can be achieved by promoting a culture of gratitude within a business.
Showing Gratitude to Our Clients
Some would argue that a business exists to generate profits, others would say that the primary function of business is to fulfill a need. Either way, a business would not exist without its customers or clients.
That’s why it is important to show genuine gratitude for our clients. I’m not talking about thank you cards or gifts here. Although those things may be nice, real gratitude is shown in the value a business delivers to the people that rely on it.
At GSI we show our gratitude by striving to exceed our clients’ expectations and by considering them in every decision we make. We also listen to our clients and provide more support, so that each and every client understands how greatly we value them and appreciate their business.
Showing Gratitude To Our Employees
If you browse through my past posts, you will quickly that I am an advocate of showing appreciation for the work our guards do for our clients.
Of course, showing appreciation for the people who work with us is the right thing to do. There are also many strong business reasons for making sure employees feel appreciated.
In my post, “The Easiest Most Often Overlooked Way To Effectively Reduce Employee Turnover” I cite a CAP study that found the average costs to replace an employee is anywhere from 16% – 21% of the positions annual salary.
Security companies are notoriously plagued with high guard turnover rates. In the end, this has an adverse effect on the quality of service provided to the client.
To address these issues and improve employee retention we simply show gratitude and make sure our employees have excellent support. Guess what? It works!
Showing Gratitude Produces Excellent Results
We can’t show gratitude with mere words. Action is required. At GSI we demonstrate our gratitude through our policies, processes and procedures.
For example, we created a specific position to protect our clients interest. The Customer Service Manager acts as our clients’ “inside man”. The Customer Service Manager’s job is to make sure we exceed our clients’ expectations.
By listening to the needs of our clients and adapting accordingly we have pioneered many innovations which are now considered industry standards.
Guard-Systems Inc. was among the first full service security firm to:
- Deploy Ambassador Guards – These are security personnel who serve as building ambassadors, greeting and welcoming visitors while simultaneously serving as deterrents for crime.
- Adopt more subtle uniforms – Clients have the option to choose from suits, sports coats, and casual wear – so officers fit client environments.
- Provide personal touches – holding doors and walking tenants to their cars.
Innovations that remain unique to Guard-Systems Inc. include:
- Client Services Manager – This is a dedicated position to oversee quality control and ensure each client’s expectations are exceeded.
- GSI Alert – Ability to mobilize hundreds of guards to cover client affected areas for a prolonged period in case of an emergency.
- Dedicated Rovers – Only 2-3 Rovers are assigned to each client’s site, so clients get an officer to fill-in who is familiar to them and has been trained on site specifics.
- Custom Training – Client specific on-going web based training that’s fully accredited.
Showing gratitude for our clients has helped us to grow at a rapid rate while maintaining a 98% client retention rate.
Showing gratitude to our employees by keeping workloads manageable and providing the support and recognition they need has resulted in higher guard retention and less employee turnover.
In the end everyone wins when companies show genuine gratitude. Not just in their words, but by their deeds.
