Being a user of your company’s products or services isn’t a prerequisite for employee engagement, but it doesn’t hurt.
There are other advantages, as well. Employee-customers can help drive sales and brand recognition, while furthering efforts at candidate attraction.
Where It Works
The retail industry has this down to a science. Here’s one example.
A fashion designer’s boutique offers all sales associates steep discounts, which encourages employees to purchase the designer’s clothing and wear it to work. In this way, employees become fans of the clothing line and are better able to serve as spokespeople. At the same time, because employees are also models, customers have an opportunity to see the clothes on real people. After being impressed with the clothing line, customers who learn that a sales discount is an employee benefit are more inclined to apply for a job.
The automobile industry also uses its products to drive engagement and sales.
Automobile manufacturers and car dealerships often offer discounts to employees. This results in employees becoming familiar with the manufacturer’s vehicles, and increases the likelihood of brand loyalty. Plus, it gives the company additional exposure.
An entirely different business sector, the ski and snowboard industry, takes a slightly different tack.
Resorts often give employees free season passes, along with discounted passes for family members. This truly engages employees in the business, and helps attract new customers. A busy, lively winter resort is also more attractive to job candidates.
Creating Opportunity
Many businesses, large and small, have the opportunity to build a staff of employee-customers.
With this in mind, should you hire someone who doesn’t use your company’s products or services?
In part, it depends on the business. For example, if you’re a hospital and the person has never required hospitalization, there is no correlation. On the other hand, if you’re a hospital, and during the interview, the candidate tells you she would never undergo a procedure at your facility, there is an issue.
Screening for Fit
Sometimes the fit, or lack of, is not that clear-cut.
What if your company is a Ford dealership and the person applying for a director of sales position drives a Chevy?
In a similar vein, should a ski resort hire someone who doesn’t ski?
These are thought-provoking questions, worth weighing carefully. Your products or services are tied to your company’s culture—or should be. If a job candidate, without good reason, rejects what your company brings to the marketplace, there may not be a fit.
What’s a good reason?
A person who loves winter in the mountains but doesn’t ski because of a disability is one example.
What happens if the candidate for the director of sales job at the Ford dealership who drives a Chevy tells you his car is 1965 Corvette that he restored himself?
OK, he may still be a fit … if he is interested in learning about the Ford product line, and perhaps owning a second vehicle.
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Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages. |
