What’s the Purpose Statement of your Business?

A well articulated and “over-communicated” simple purpose statement will propel your business or organization to deliver exceptional customer service.

A previous employer of mine invested a substantial amount of time reviewing and modifying job descriptions, especially in preparation for advertising vacant or new positions. At times, we even debated whether particular tasks should be classified as “constant,” “frequent,” or “occasional.” Indeed, one of the first questions we asked applicants during the interview process was “Have you read, and do you understand, the job description?” If a hapless applicant answered in the negative, we would provide the applicant with a copy of the job description and ask that he or she review it prior to continuing the interview, which typically resulted in a moment or two of awkward silence.

Now, we’re not claiming that job descriptions are “bad”; to the contrary, job descriptions assume a critical role in defining and communicating expectations to new and veteran employees. In fact, evaluating employee performance would prove difficult, if not impossible, without well articulated job descriptions.

So, what’s our point?

Our point is that there is something even more important than job descriptions; something that ensures all employees, regardless of their different job descriptions, share a common denominator; and something so powerful that employees deliver exceptional customer service — always.

That something is called purpose.

Lee Cockerell, a former Marriott and Disney executive, offers an excellent podcast on this particular topic. While he was with Marriott, Lee’s leadership team focused on conveying the following simple purpose statement to all Marriott employees: “Be so nice to the guest that he or she can’t believe it.” Later, at Disney, Lee fashioned another simple purpose statement that he and his leadership team communicated to all Disney cast members, despite their different job descriptions: “Ensure that the guest has the most fabulous time of his or her life.”

In other words, as Lee explains, “All of us have different jobs, but we have only one purpose.” So, whether a cast member’s particular job is housecleaning or preparing food, the overarching purpose of each cast member’s job is to “ensure that the guest has the most fabulous time of his or her life.”

Given the foregoing, is it a mere coincidence that both Marriott and Disney excel at customer service?

This week, consider investing a few moments doing the following:

• First, listen to Lee Cockerell’s podcast. The podcast provides a strong foundation upon which to create a purpose statement for your business or organization.

• Second, if your business or organization does not yet possess or communicate a simple purpose statement, consider doing so. If you desire some guidance, we can help; just let us know.

• Third, if your business or organization already has a simple purpose statement, be sure that the purpose statement is “over-communicated” to all employees. As business guru Tom Peters often declares, “What we have here is a failure to over-communicate!” Lee, too, emphasizes the importance of communicating the simple purpose statement “day in and day out.”

We’re confident that a well articulated and “over-communicated” simple purpose statement will propel your business or organization to deliver exceptional customer service — always.

Have a “customerific” week!

Mark