Can you imagine quality service without clear rules and standards? Many employees consider them a limitation, but the top management of many companies call them a key to success. Andrii Kopylov, head of the APEB standards committee, prepared an article in which he considers the importance of standards for business, how they affect the work of staff and why their presence is the basis of quality.

Is it possible to standardize work with the client?
Do you love service standards as much as I do? For the last 20 years, I have been conducting trainings for staff who work with customers: service and sales, as well as department heads. Is it possible to standardize the sales process, the complex process of working with a customer who makes a decision?
If you try, the standard can be developed for many business processes of working with the client: how to sell, how to serve, how to display goods in the store, and even how to resolve conflicts and claims.

Staff attitude to standards.
I conducted literally thousands of trainings on standards, I trained gas station operators, sellers, managers, sales managers, call center operators.
How do these people feel about the standards of their work? I can honestly say: when the performer hears this word, he becomes very sad. Maybe it’s because people don’t like being parroted in their workplace? Repeat the same thing a hundred times. But this is the essence of working with a client. The employee was hired specifically for this job and is paid precisely for fulfilling the standard. None of the employees likes standards.

Or maybe it’s better without standards at all?
If the employee is experienced, he will improvise, creatively approach each client. Yes, an employee without standards is fine. Let’s find out if his manager is doing well.
Without standards, the manager can neither check the subordinate’s work with the client nor give the subordinate feedback. If there is no prescribed standard, the manager will be guided by common sense, logic and his own authority.
And the subordinate will feel emotionally depressed during the feedback about his work. Because the boss is always right, emphasizes mistakes and is constantly dissatisfied.

Positive power through standards.
Without a standard, the so-called negative power is formed, built on authority, strong personalities, and charisma. Conversely, the presence of a standard creates positive power, approves the “rules of the game” between a subordinate and a manager in this company. Gives a subordinate a sense of peace – if he does everything according to the standard – no one can touch his work. The conversation of the cashier, gas station operator, or salesperson can be recorded by a “mystery customer” or observed by a manager of any level, and then the manager can identify errors, non-compliance with the standard. Everything will be very clear.
Once at the cash register in McDonald’s I saw a sticker with three letters “KTP”. I asked the cashier, what do these letters remind him of? He answered: these letters are “Every Mystery Shopper.” When I heard this, I was very happy. Every buyer is a mystery. The employee must treat each customer as if he is a secret, as if he evaluates you. As if your salary will depend on his assessment of the quality of work.

Silent service as a result of lack of standards.
As customers, we are constantly faced with one type of service – silent. Maybe someone likes it. This is where the hotel administrator, the receiver of goods for repair, or the barista look tired. They don’t look us in the eye, don’t smile, don’t say hello, and don’t say goodbye. In fact, they provide you with a service – they brew delicious coffee, accommodate you, or accept or release goods. But silently, sometimes without looking at us, as if you are not there. No communication. And I, as a client, feel it.
I prefer friendly service. Because this is exactly the difference between good service and “not so good” service. Because there are standards in strong, large network companies. And maybe in young, ambitious companies as well.

Why are standards the basis of quality service?
In good companies, staff are trained to adhere to standards. There is a control system. Adherence to the standard is monitored by both the immediate supervisor and the independent external evaluation system, which may be switched on and off periodically.
If there are no standards in the company, or they are formal, there is no system of implementation and control of standards – each specialist will work with the client at random. And then everything will “slide” to silent service. Because it is easier, simpler, saves the energy of employees, who are already not easy at work, because there are customers there.

Mastery through adherence to standards.
It may be sad for employees to fulfill the standards, but without a standard – no way. It is the presence of a standard that makes the difference between black and white – correct work from incorrect. And a creative approach, individual work with clients can be acquired only on the basis of the implementation of the standard. That is, real skill is the implementation of the standard with each client individually, creatively and out of the box. Because in the songs, neither words nor notes are thrown away, and we guess a familiar melody even in the most mixed song.

Andriy Kopylov
Head of the APEB standards committee