Today’s post is from Smartbrief Editor Megan Conniff, who is attending the annual conference of the National Retail Federation in New York. You can also follow her reports and others on the NRF’s 2009 Convention blog.
Cabela’s is a hunting, fishing and outdoor gear retailer that invested time and money into training hourly employees as a way to enhance its customer-centric focus. Many companies acknowledge that customer service is directly related to employee development, but a lot of them still see professional development as an operating cost, rather than a long-term investment. So says Cabela’s Casey Adams, who spoke Monday afternoon about the importance of highly strategic employee development plans.
Since instituting an employee development plan that focuses on preserving company culture, teaching the company’s mission, and training people to offer customers experiences rather than just products, Cabela’s customer satisfaction is through the roof.
It’s clear that Cabela’s employees have welcomed the program since it was launched 18 months ago. After all, rather than hosting a barbecue for a store that performed particularly well, Cabela’s rewarded one hardworking employee with a car.
What kinds of employee development programs do you invest in? How do you reward your best employees?
