An organization’s culture is the foundation of its customer success. 

And culture is generated from daily actions — both spoken and unspoken — that are displayed or tolerated by leadership and acted on by others. Culture is definitely not a “set it and forget it,” aspect of any business. It requires daily vigilance, or it unravels quickly.

Adopting a client-first mindset isn’t easy. It calls for a big shift in an organization’s culture, but the rewards are staggering. To really put the client first, you have to look at the organization from an outside-in perspective, rather than inside-out. We have to understand the needs of our clients, and how to deliver on them. Our flexibility in meeting client needs helps to set ourselves apart from competitors, and it sets us up for big wins.

As business leaders, we are nothing without our customers — period. Today, human interactions are increasingly becoming more important and impactful in a world that seems to be becoming less personal. Customer experience includes customer service — it’s all connected. 

I associate much of Landscape Ontario’s membership growth with our focus on the member-first mindset — it’s embedded in everything we do. Any opportunity we encounter, or challenge we’re looking to solve, the solution will always need to pass through the “what is best for the member first” filter. Staff are empowered to work with our member community on projects, to seek advice, input and feedback, so we can offer several multiples of value back. 

An organization is only as great as its employees. Invest in great people with aligned values and help them thrive. When you take care of your people by treating them with honesty and respect and by giving them the opportunities they need to find success in their roles, this will easily translate into them treating customers the same way. We need to proactively help our teams grow and thrive, always monitoring to make sure the right people are in the right roles to find success. I believe that doing this — with thoughtfulness and intention — ensures our customers will be taken care of at the highest levels.

This starts with the culture the leadership team lives and breathes. It has to start with the leadership and become woven into the fabric of the operations of the organization. We have seen this with our amazing staff family here at Landscape Ontario. A culture developed where everyone is there to support each other. No matter what, we have each other’s back. By offering the support the Landscape Ontario staff family needs, the leadership team empowers them to provide the best overall member experience possible.

In order to continue to build upon the ever-growing Landscape Ontario community, we’re regularly thinking about how to better serve and provide more value to you. It’s important to us to know what you value most about your membership with Landscape Ontario, so we can have the most relevant impact. Let me know what you value most by emailing jsalemi@landscapeontario.com, or by phone or text at 905-220-4106.
 

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