It can be easy to see our area of ministry as a technical field, period. Yet, we need to remember that we should be people-focused in all that we do. And what if it even goes a step beyond that?
What if we started thinking of ourselves as a customer service industry?
There are very few things in the church world that can happen without a technology effort. Very little vision may come to fruition, and the overall ministry impact would be heavily stunted.
Just about every department or team in the organization relies on us to help them get their jobs done. They need a product or solution from our team.
They’re our customers, and it’s our job to deliver.
Everyone is a customer. The volunteer that has a question or needs to be trained is requesting a service from me. How do I handle that interaction?
But what if we’re not just delivering a product or a solution?
In his excellent book “E-Myth Revisited,” author Michael Gerber notes that a commodity is what people leave with when they leave a business. In our world, that commodity could be a fixed computer, or a microphone they can carry on stage, or something tangible like that.
If we provided a service (like washing a car or making change at the bank), that could be when we create a Keynote presentation for someone, or run an audio console during a service, or edit a video.
However, as Gerber states, the actual product a business sells is the feeling that people have when they leave that business. More than anything, it’s that feeling that impacts whether people keep coming back time and time again.
In essence, as a technician, when people interact with you about the product or service they need, what feeling will they experience when they leave that interaction?
This, then, is why we must think of ourselves not just as technicians, but as customer service agents.
You might be thinking, "Well, who is my customer?" The answer: everyone!
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. – Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
Every personal interaction I have with someone has the ability to form in them a feeling and perception about me and my “business” (or team, if you will). That will then create a filter thru which they view every future interaction with me. And if those interactions, as with a business, aren’t pleasant or effective, they’ll take their needs elsewhere.
So, let’s break this down.
Everyone is a customer. The volunteer that has a question or needs to be trained is requesting a service from me. How do I handle that interaction? Am I grumpy, sarcastic, or indifferent? If so, they’ll eventually grow weary of that type of interaction and choose to leave the team and go elsewhere, in hopes of having a better experience.
The co-workers who need help or support for a meeting or event? My customers. Do I respond to their inquiries in a timely manner, asking helpful questions and seeming like I actually am concerned for the success of their team’s vision? If so, that will make it easier for them to keep coming back in the future. I will have created a comfortable atmosphere where they can let their guard down and ask for help without feeling insignificant. That creates a sense of comfort and deepens a level of camaraderie. It also reinforces the fact that I’m a team player!
But what if I’m disconnected, or disinterested, or unconcerned about something they are very passionate about? It’s no different than going to a restaurant or business expecting a level of performance or support from the staff, being let down, and then complaining to a manager who really doesn’t seem to care. How likely am I to keep patronizing that business? Not very.
Businesses that lose customers lose influence. Happy, satisfied customers are very willing to share their positive impressions and bring their friends along for the ride. Disgruntled, angry customers also tend to be vocal about their experiences too.
If my co-workers or leaders are my customers, would I rather they be satisfied and singing my praises, or grumbling about my inability to work with them and their team? Which version of me is likely to be a long-term fixture on the ministry team and grow in responsibility and influence?
Beyond just the people I’m around on a daily basis, even people external to the organization can be my customers.
Vendors I buy actual goods or services from are, in a way, my customers too. Even though I’m getting something from them, they need something from me too. They need timely payment, clear communication, and a positive interaction when I call or email.
If I don’t manage those accounts well, they will begin dreading their interactions with me and will only give the bare minimum that their job requires.
But what if I do everything I can to build a positive rapport with them? I communicate regularly and try to plan out my transactions well. I help ensure that payment is processed in a timely manner on our end. I respond to emails and phone calls quickly to confirm details.
When I make myself easy to work with, there will definitely be fruit that grows down the road. Now, when I need something in a pinch and need a favor, the company may be more willing to work with me because of how many positive interactions we’ve had.
... when I work with integrators or consultants ... do I treat them as real people who I want to be invested in my ministry and its vision? Or am I pushy and demanding, expecting them to bow down to my every whim, regardless of how unreasonable it might be?
Remember, we are exchanging commodities (goods, services, and payment). But the real product that’s changing hands is a personal experience. How do those companies feel when they work with me?
The same thing is true when I work with integrators or consultants. Do I treat them as real people who I want to be invested in my ministry and its vision? Or am I pushy and demanding, expecting them to bow down to my every whim, regardless of how unreasonable it might be? Do I own it when bumps or hiccups are my fault, or do I constantly try to blame the other parties and insist that they fix mistakes that might not even be theirs?
Again, I’m not just a technician. I’m a customer service agent who is representing a larger ministry organization. Am I easy to work with? Am I willing to show grace and mercy as needed? Do I provide clear instructions and consistent communication? Do I have a good attitude? Am I intentionally focused on ensuring that people enjoy working with me?
Or have I become the stereotypical church tech person, who seems like a raincloud always in search of a picnic? Do I complain when people don’t meet my demands or fit into my prescribed box of what I feel is appropriate or comfortable? Do I ignore or belittle others who don’t seem to really understand things as well as I do? Am I quick to lose my cool when things don’t go my way?
Every interaction I have with someone is a customer service moment that determines the extent of their future interactions with me.
Will they be a committed, repeat customer, or will they take their business elsewhere?
