View potential employees like potential customers to attract talent

Most businesses understand that making customers happy should be the top priority. Whether that means selling a product or service that meets the end consumer's needs or providing support through vendor services, the focus is on building end-user satisfaction. No matter what services a business provides, there's one way to ensure this goal is met, and that is by first having satisfied employees.

Kathleen Murphy, the President of Personal Investing at Fidelity Investments, explained that the best way to drive customer satisfaction is to treat employees in the same manner. Employees want to feel valued by the company - and they should be genuinely excited about the products or services offered by the business.

Business executives spend a lot of time developing strategies to boost customer engagement and satisfaction. Many of those same tactics can be implemented to increase employee satisfaction.

Customer experience starts with employees

Happiness is infectious. A smile from a passing stranger can instantly brighten someone's day. The same can be said of customer satisfaction, because when the end user interacts with a happy employee, they're more likely to have a great experience. Ravin Gandhi, a successful business executive, told Inc. Magazine that customers can hear unhappiness in an employee's voice - even if they're following the script exactly.

When employees are happy, that attitude infects every aspect of their work - and customers will take notice.

Employee satisfaction builds a culture of achievement

"Companies that treat employees like valued customers see great results."

Employers that invest in their personnel can see greater success, because their employees stand to gain more from that success. They develop a sense of ownership in the company. The motivational speaker and entrepreneur Tony Robbins noted that employers who make investments in employee satisfaction see tremendous results. Treating employees as if they were valued customers can lead to reduced rates of turnover, improved revenue and better customer satisfaction.

"The IT community in our market is very tight-knit," commented Ken Cole, Senior Recruiting Manager for Beacon Hill's Technologies Division in Cleveland. "As a customer, your reputation is all you have. The clients that treat their employees the best are the ones that are attracting top talent. With the Cleveland market being heavily candidate-driven right now, their reputation for how they treat their employees is a key factor."

Investments are important in the hiring process as well. By using recruiters to find top talent, a business sends a clear message to the marketplace - they're invested in the position and are willing to spend the resources to find the best person for the role. Talented individuals in the marketplace will take notice of this effort and may be more interested in the company. Rather than sending a resume off into cyberspace, they'll feel more welcomed and confident knowing they have a professional talent recruiter working with them.

Employee satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction. By investing in employee relationships, business will thrive.