How different is employee engagement to customer engagement?

[Katherine Wiid]

I have had a potential client (a membership organisation) call in as they perceive us to be retention specialists and need help in retaining their members. My first thought was that there are a lot of similarities in the way you need to engage customers to the way you communicate with and engage employees. I wondered if anyone had some useful ideas on how to go about retaining members who do not renew their subscriptions annually? Is it they don't perceive they are getting value? Should they be surveyed regularly and if so how?

Look forward to some ideas!

[Tim Wright]

Katherine

Rather than compare association members with employees (in re engagement tactics), I would draw the comparison to physicians associated with hospitals.

The similarities are that both members and physicians are somewhat like customers but also bear contributory responsibility to the association and hospital, respectively.

Here are some of the successful tactics hospitals I've worked with have used to keep their physicians engaged (and so, on board!)

1. Continual and frequent request for opinion, suggestion, concern, and insight. Inviting physicians (members) to voice their how-to-improve (specific or general) conveys respect.

2. Immediate action with that input. Publishing responses (anonymously, as necessary), initiating action plans, promoting follow-up discussion, following through on suggestions (with appropriate publicity).

3. Attention to (and even publication of) "news from the life/business of" members/physicians. Certainly, there must be respect for one's privacy. However, it's human nature to appreciate attention. Paying attention to more than just the what-you-do-for-us about an individual demonstrates that s/he has value.

Happy to share more information with you regarding that last question, too.

Tim

[Katherine Wiid]

Hi Tim

This is very insightful and may just strike the right cord. Treating members with respect and getting their opinion is much more likely to elicit loyalty and a feeling of being and getting value.

Many thanks Katherine

[Shanath Kumar]

Interesting topic! My point of view is that the two are quite different.Employees have a accountability to organizational outcomes.The difference is between the Internal Marketing and the External Marketing Process. The customers' touch points are different than those of the employees.The behaviour of the employees directly bears upon the image of the organization.Incase of customers, this is often not the case.Incase of the employees, a higher level of engagement translates into better service to the customers.Incase of the customers, a higher level of engagement results in loyalty and good word of mouth.There may be an element of convergence at this point.But to me, the two are distinct.