HR Solutions: Internal customer service brings mortgage business

External customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction. The ultimate goal is consistently meeting expectations, even though striving to exceed customer anticipations also is important.

Mortgage businesses constantly focus on external customer service, because as Henry Ford said, “It’s not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It’s the customer who pays the wages.”

In today’s economy and job market, more and more businesses are placing the people who get the wages, their internal customers, in the center ring. The simple fact is that both managers and associates should always think of internal customer service in the same manner as external customer service.

Even a seemingly small gesture, such as greeting a coworker in passing, is a gesture of internal customer service.

Mortgage workers are customers to each other and must regularly exhibit the eight elements of internal customer service.

1. Smile. Smiles are contagious. A smile is easy to give. An employee can give a fellow team member a smile, even when the team member might not have much to smile about.

2. Help each other. Set a standard of high quality. Make efficiency a top priority. Show compassion.

3. Create synergy. Synergy is the glue that holds the team together, enabling the various members to function as one in a mortgage setting. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole, enabling the work force to accomplish more together than each party could separately. The diversity of workers is an amazing phenomenon to be highly respected. Value the differences and focus on positive synergy.

4. Build relationships. Establish rapport. Go the extra mile. Listen for facts to remember concerning other staff members. Talk to co-workers about what is important to them. Discover shared interests and similar stories to tell.

5. Have a positive attitude. A negative attitude in the mortgage industry is more contagious than a positive one. Don’t start negative attitudes, and stop negative talk upon hearing it. Maintain an impeccable standard of integrity. Show respect to co-workers and make them feel worthy. Compliment them, and give thanks when it’s deserved.

6. Develop teamwork. Join forces. Be accountable to each other. Be willing to work together to exceed expectations. Be responsible. Problems will occur, whether you caused the issue or it just happened on your watch. Regardless, take care of it. No excuses.

7. Establish a vision. Create goals. Develop priorities. Be trustworthy; it takes the whole team to achieve organizational objectives, so be sure each individual knows he can count on you. Be the best you can be at all times. Remember, you can only control yourself. 

8. Empathize with others. Identify with the feelings, thoughts and attitudes of associates. Begin sentences with phrases such as, “I understand,” “I’m sorry” and “I can appreciate.”

Each internal customer service moment in a mortgage environment begins with employees. Affect those moments accordingly.

Lynne Haggerman, M.S., is president/owner of Lynne Haggerman & Associates LLC, a Springfield firm specializing in management training, retained search, outplacement and human resource consulting. She can be reached at lynne@lynnehaggerman.com.