Let’s face it: Your practice’s Millennial staff members—those 32 years old and under—have more opportunities to interact with your patients and your potential optical shop clients than you do.
It’s no secret that happy employees are more productive and excited to work up to their potential than employees who feel unappreciated. Your Millennial staff members are no different.
When you appreciate and empower your Millennial staff, you take a big step forward in ensuring that your optical business delivers the highest quality customer satisfaction. If your staff is happy, they will want to make your customers are happy, too.
Here are the best ways to keep Millennial employees engaged and happy in their jobs so that your optical shop delivers the best customer service:
- Be very clear about what you expect from your staff. Millennials want clarity and transparency. Tell them exactly what you expect of them—responsibilities, benchmarks, skills required, etc. Create concrete, targeted objectives and deadlines. During performance evaluations, give employees specific guidance about how to improve. Keep them in the loop about the status of raises, promotions, and bonuses.
- Make sure that employees are excited about doing customer service work. If you notice your employees slacking off or not living up to their potential, ask yourself if you’re using them efficiently. If their passion and skills aren’t in customer service, consider moving them to another team.
- Get to know your Millennials. You don’t have to be friends with them, but ask them about what they do in their spare time. Ask about their friends and family.
- Acknowledge the things they do correctly. You don’t need to tell them that they’re doing a great job all the time. But telling them that they developed a report correctly or made the right decision during a customer interaction is a great motivator and helps prevent little issues from growing into problems.
- Give them skills that will serve them on their career path. Put your emphasis on cultivating their customer service skills—communicating with others, problem solving, quick decision making. Send them to conferences or provide other continuing education opportunities. Tell them how these skills will prepare them for their next job. Your Millennials will work harder for you.
- Be a mentor. This does not have to be time consuming. Millennials crave mentorship and relationship building. Ask your employees about their career goals. Expose them to opportunities that allow them to pursue their dream jobs. Introduce them to your contacts. Assign them responsibilities that align with their goals.
Your young employees are a crucial part of your optical retail business. When you make them feel that way—valued and important—your bottom line will reap the benefits.
