Why Employee Satisfaction is Just as Important as Customer Satisfaction in Roofing (or any company).

Let’s face and admit it. We’ve all experienced poor customer service at one time or another…

Here, we pride ourselves on the customer experience we deliver. It’s not by accident, though. 

Although the specifics of this blog are directly related to us here at Red Dog’s Roofing, that doesn’t mean to say these principles couldn’t be applied to a different company or criteria!

So, in an industry often known for its gruff and blunt persona, how do we keep employees here longer, why are they happy to work here, and how does all this equate to the customer experience overall at a roofing and exterior remodeling company?

Great questions. So let’s dive into them.

First and foremost, we’re careful about the people we hire here. In some ways, we’d rather do without a quality employee and bear the burden, than bring in an employee that doesn’t want to be here. Yes, it takes time and resources, but the end result is always the best for not only us, but for the employee as well. We’re not here just to fill seats and turn employees around quickly… 

Which brings us to the next point:

Employee retention helps  businesses keep costs down in the long term, and keeps familiarity with your clients and gains overall trust. Taking the time to hire the right candidate helps to ensure they’ll be here longer. 

Happy Employees create happy customers. You know that with every customer service oriented interaction you’ve had with various employees, you know who loves what they do and who doesn’t. Let’s make no mistake here, we realize that our business is a service orientated one, which means that it’s a customer service one. Giving our employees the validation they deserve, keeping service first in our actions, and treating the people here with honesty and respect is all the difference.  

Speaking of happy employees… Happy employees speak well of their employer. This is obviously important, because I know when I’m interacting with a company, I want to make sure that company treats its employees right. You know that if an employee is genuinely happy where they are, they’re going to take pride in the work they do, and overall relationships they build. Employees tend to be more engaged in their work, when they’re more satisfied with it. 

And speaking of engaged employees… Engaged employees are more apt to take ownership of their jobs, and to be more proactive in saving the company money and more apt to have a better problem solving mentality. Better solving and growth mindsets means far less headaches up the chain of command. When an employee who is trusted makes the call at their job, it empowers them to be better, more capable people and employees.

Companies who treat their employees well also attract the top talent. Who wants to go to work miserable every day? When future employees find out your company culture is what they’re looking for, finding them won’t be as difficult, because they’ll be coming to YOU!

As a leader, it’s important to know what NOT to do, as it is important to know what to do. 

Inc. magazine shares the following signs that a leader is exhibiting “bad boss” behavior.

• Not using employee strengths. Employees thrive when their unique skills are recognized, so bosses who do not take the time to identify employee strengths are doing everyone a disservice. Understanding employee strengths and finding ways to use those skills boosts employee engagement and leads to a better outcome for all.

• Hoarding information. Withholding information is a power move that undermines trust. Great leaders value transparency and share relevant information openly to foster a culture of trust and collaboration.

• Ignoring feedback. Leaders who always think they are right and dismiss others’ input harm team morale and productivity. Great bosses are active listeners who value the diverse perspectives of team members.

• Being unavailable. Invisible bosses are never available to their team, creating a disconnect. Great leaders regularly engage with their team members and arrange one-on-one check-ins to show employees they are valued and foster a supportive workplace.

• Focusing only on the negative. Ineffective bosses only point out what is wrong without acknowledging what is right, creating a toxic environment. Great leaders offer constructive criticism and genuine praise, celebrating their team’s successes and creating a positive work culture.

• Not acting quickly. When leaders are slow to make decisions, it signals a lack of trust and halts productivity. Good leaders recognize the significance of making timely decisions, which is critical to maintain momentum and achieve goals efficiently.

• Not fostering teamwork. Bosses who pit employees against each other establish an environment that leads to high stress, turnover and burnout. Great leaders prioritize teamwork, encouraging collaboration and collective success and creating a workplace where everyone believes they are valued and contribute to team success.

Employees are your ambassadors. They can sing your praises, but it’s more important they show them in the work they do and in the interactions they have with customers.