What do you want to achieve? How are you going to get there? What should you measure to start the process, track your progress, and know you have arrived?

Ultimate Objectives

Senior leaders tend to focus on the Ultimate Objectives in business including:

• Greater market share
• Increased profitability
• Improved reputation
• Higher shareholder value

How do you know that you are destined to achieve these objectives? What is a reliable precursor or leading indicator for these Ultimate Objectives?

Index Scores

When key Index Scores are moving in a positive direction, you can be more confident that Ultimate Objectives will be achieved. These scores may include: 

• Customer loyalty metrics
• Customer satisfaction scores
• Key performance indicators
• Employee engagement and satisfaction ratings

How can you be sure these scores will improve the next time you conduct a survey? What is reliable precursor or leading indicator for these measures and metrics?

Voice of the Customer

When your Voice of the Customer includes many positive comments about the service you deliver, you can be more confident that your Index Scores will also be positive when you seek feedback in a survey.

These positive comments may include:

• Letters of compliment
• Praise on the telephone
• Face to face commendations
• Positive blog and community posts
• Favorable word of mouth
• Testimonials and appreciation

How does an organization achieve more of this valuable praise, testimonial and appreciation? What is the precursor or leading indicator of such kind words and positive recommendations?

Practical Action Steps

When everyone in your organization takes Practical Action Steps to upgrade service performance and create value for others, you can rest assured that your Voice of the Customer (and colleagues) will be positive.

These Practical Action Steps may include:

• More proactive communication
• Higher standards of service performance
• Greater speed, flexibility, reliability, etc.
• Faster resolution of service problems

How does an organization get everyone to take Practical Action Steps to upgrade and improve service to others?

World Class Service Education

UP Your Service! College teaches fundamental service principles applied to each person’s job through facilitated discussions and customized exercises. This leads to new perspectives, new ideas and Practical Action Steps for everyone at all levels of the organization. 

Practical Action Steps earn positive Voice of the Customer and higher Index Scores, leading to the achievement of your Ultimate Objectives.

To achieve your goals, don't just measure the final result. Encourage, promote, recognize, reward – and measure – the education, ideas and action steps that will get you where you want to go.