What happens when your best people are compensating for your worst processes? It’s a question I hadn’t realised I was asking when I put last week’s poll to Customer Service and CX leaders.
I asked:
Can a customer service team consistently deliver great CX without strong service foundations?
93% said no.
But what interested me wasn't just the number.
It was why.
Because great customer service can still happen without perfect processes.
You can have someone who cares deeply.
Someone who takes ownership.
Someone who knows how to calm a frustrated customer, find a solution and go the extra mile.
And sometimes, that person can create an exceptional experience despite the systems around them.
That's brilliant.
But there's a problem.
You can't build a customer service culture around heroics.
Because what happens when that person is on holiday?
Or off sick?
Or moves to another team?
Or leaves the organisation?
The customer shouldn't suddenly receive a different experience.
That's where strong foundations matter.
Not because every customer conversation should be rigid.
And not because every team member should sound like they're reading from a manual.
Quite the opposite.
Strong foundations should give people the confidence and freedom to be brilliant.
They provide the knowledge to answer confidently.
The processes to know what happens next.
The authority to take ownership.
The systems to support the conversation.
And the standards that make great service repeatable.
Because consistency doesn't mean every customer gets exactly the same response.
It means every customer can expect the same level of care, ownership and follow-through.
That's a very different thing.
And perhaps that's the real measure of a customer service culture:
If your best person wasn't working today, would your customers still receive a great experience?
If the answer is no, perhaps the opportunity isn't to find more heroes.
Perhaps it's to build better foundations.
This is what The Gold Dust Standard is about
Every week, I share practical ideas, lessons and conversations to help Customer Service and CX leaders make great experiences more consistent, more human and more memorable.
If that sounds useful, subscribe to The Gold Dust Standard here (opens in a new tab).
And if you're a Head of Customer Service or Customer Experience, I'd also love to hear your story.
I'm inviting Customer Service and CX leaders onto the Customer Service Gold Dust Podcast to share the lessons, challenges and ideas that could help others in our profession.
👉 Want to join me on the podcast? Click here to register your interest. (opens in a new tab)
And while you're here, why not listen to one of the previous conversations?
There are some brilliant lessons coming out of these conversations, and I'm looking forward to bringing you many more.
👉 Listen to the Customer Service Gold Dust Podcast here (opens in a new tab)
Because sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference to the customer experience.
That's where the Gold Dust is.
Stay memorable,
Gavin