Employee Job Satisfaction & Customer Satisfaction: Linked for the Organizational Manager

Job satisfaction is a personal, work related major attitude linked to an individual employee that moderates his or her behavior. It is comprised of the processing of information from the viewpoint of an individual employee by a self perception process of a linked subjective evaluation, a creation of a feeling and finally a reaction (Robbins, 2007) (Weber, 2007). Job satisfaction causes an agreeable emotional condition in the employee that leads to a positive work attitude. This positive work attitude has an impact on other employees and customers (Robbins, 2007). All employees are seen as representatives of their company by any average customer (Jackson, 2007). So if a customer sees that an employee does not have a satisfied, positive, and fulfilled attitude a customer may make the wrong assumptions leading the customer to question the trustworthiness of the company and resulting in decreased sales for the company (Dunham, 2007) (Weber, 2007). Numerous articles and studies have been preformed to determine the validity of this connection (Dunham, 2007) (Jackson, 2007). Job Satisfaction and customer satisfaction are linked anywhere customers and employees come in contact (Robbins, 2007) (Jackson, 2007).

The Cincinnati Enquirer "Vovici Case Study" showed an increase in positive customer feedback from contact with the Cincinnati Enquirer's employees who exhibited job fulfillment. Jackson (2007) also noted that newspaper sales increased during the study. As a bonus reaction to the positive environment experienced; the employees had an overall morale increase from positive customer feedback. A residual positive level of satisfaction by the retained and new customers was noted in this study (Jackson, 2007).

Webber (2007) sums up the cycle of employee customer attitude relationships. He says while "the customer is always right" and "the employee is right to anticipate the customers' needs", it takes happy employees to make happy customers. Employees with positive attitudes should be encouraged to make contact with customers at every opportunity. So he believes that all applicable businesses departments need to have an active focus on employee attitudes that will create the best customer relations to generate the best experience a customer can attain (Webber, 2007).

Ms. Duhnam (2007) wrote in her Wall Street Journal article "The Voice of the Customer" that businesses want to increase the value of relationships from their service operations. They are actively using methods to instill employees with a sense of pride in their companies and then encouraging the employees to take responsibility for customer satisfaction that pays off in increased customer retention and higher profits for the company. She acknowledges that this process is cyclical and the employees must be actively involved but thinks that it all must proactively start with the employees and their attitudes (Duhnam, 2007).

Lyons (1999) notes that satisfied employees making direct contact with customers creates an upsurge in customers' satisfaction, so any planning to support and increase the employees' social skills is worth the investment. Lyons (1999) writes that this facilities unwritten motto of "actions speak louder than words" has created a better environment and happier patients. It appears to be a two way street on emotional effective behavior. Encouraging employee actions that benefit customer relations is one result from increasing employee perception and fulfillment (Lyons, 1999).

What does this all mean for an organizational manager? Most employees have the general knowledge and experience for the specific job they are assigned but may be deficient in the behavioral social skills needed to work with other employees and the public. Businesses can help to create better employee social skills by putting practices in place that will ensure that workers are challenged and then amply rewarded for being successful, satisfied employees. Then these happy, successful employees will be motivated and committed to higher quality performances in the office and when in contact with customers. The articles and studies mentioned in this paper show that employee - customer attitudes are linked (Jackson, 2007) (Webber, 2007). It is necessary for an organizational manager to focus on increasing employee job satisfaction as an integral part of creating a positive work environment (Duhnam, 2007) (Robbins, 2007).

ReferencesDunham, K. (2007 February). The Voice of the Customer. Retrieved August 22, 2007, from The Wall Street Journal - Classroom Edition Web site: http://wsjclassroomedition.com/archive/07feb/bigb_customerservice.htmJackson, J. (2007 March 30). Vovici Case Study. Retrieved August 22, 2007, from The Cincinnati Enquirer Web site: http://www.vovici.com/clients/case-study.asp?c=931 Lyons, N. (1999). The 90-Day Checkup.Retrieved August 22, 2007, from Inc.com Web site: http://www.inc.com/magazine/19990301/747.html Robbins, S. P. & Judge, T.A. (2007). Organizational Behavior. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.Weber, H (2007).Survey: Airlines need better customer ties. Retrieved August 23, 2007, from USA Today Economy Web site: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2007-05-15-3572449341_x.htm