We left you last month with that huge “touchstone” question that you must ask to get your team focused on the important elements of “deliverable and recognizable company culture” in order to build loyal customers, define brand and most importantly, gain referrals from your customers. As a business owner or leader, what must you focus on doing from a strategic perspective?

There are five questions we recommend you consider in order of priority:

1. Have I created a clear, concise and compelling vision of where the company is going?
2. Have we defined what our unique company values and culture are going forward?
3. Do I have simple business goals for a three- five- 10-year projection of growth?
4. Do the people that work at our company share our values and culture?
5. Have I communicated this vision, goals, values and culture expectations to the leadership team first and then the entire company?

OK, you now have your homework assignment. Take a handful of aspirin and call me in the morning!

While this may seem overwhelming and challenging, if you are realistic about behavioral change and time, you can do this. This process can take nine-12 months to accomplish. After all, you and your team are running a successful business, right?

Your biggest obstacle? Most people HATE change in general. Routines are known and comfortable. New expectations are not. It is basically fear of the unknown, so make sure you put on your communication cape to battle this monster. You know what the hardest part of trying to fight this change beast is? Answering the, “why are we changing” question that everyone is thinking about.

“I’m doing a good job, aren’t I?” When teams have a narrow perspective of where they are going, what they are doing and the role they play in the grand scheme of things, you will encounter those types of questions.

Consider shifting your artistic business talent from being a portrait to a mural. Portraits of sales, installation, service or support simply cannot portray the big story of your company’s journey, goals, values and culture like a mural can.

Teams may think they are doing their jobs well from a portrait perspective. This is hard to argue with if they do not have a bigger company cultural vision (mural) and understand their role and responsibilities.

How does what they do affect their teammates? Will their actions answer the touchstone question? Think about how culture and actions translate to an active customer referral program. How do you measure that?

Use a tried and true Net Promoter Score scale that will drive business results, open some eyes and help drive a change toward stronger teamwork. An “active promoter” customer is pure gold.

What customer experiences have motivated you to tell friends and associates about a company without being prompted? Was it a restaurant experience, a purchase, or situation where a company and everyone in it made you feel special? Did it happen when you had a problem and they surprised you with an unexpected response without escalating the dissatisfaction?

That is the “wow, I didn’t expect that” feeling. That is a company culture belief of those that work there without thinking or asking permission. This will often create an active referral customer. Do your customers have the same experience?

If you don’t know, it is time to start asking them to see if your cultural vision is lived daily by your team. Get started by keeping it simple and unfiltered. You don’t need long customer surveys. Would this knowledge be worth 15 minutes a week? Senior management and department managers should pick up the phone and ask about recently completed installation, sales or service calls.

The benefit for this effort is that customers don’t expect the personal call to make them feel important. Now that’s priceless! Make sure what they tell you is acted on.

Most importantly, follow up a week later to let them know what you did with their feedback. The magic of this effort is that you will convert customers from a “satisfied” status to an “active promoter.”

Your sales team will gain a huge lift in referral sales, which are the highest closing and lowest cost of sales results. So get out your paintbrushes and get your team involved in painting your company’s cultural mural for the entire city to see and appreciate.

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