Hey, Reader!
Last week I was in Chicago, speaking with leaders at the National Association of Convenience Stores. I’m still thinking about a statistic that’s specific to the convenience retail world, but not unique to it: In many parts of the industry, annual employee turnover is 100% or more.
It’s not something I had time to fully unpack in my keynote, which focused on the customer experience—but it’s one I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
Now, hopefully, turnover in your business—or your industry—doesn’t look like that.
But whether your turnover is 10% or 100%, the reality is the same: your customer experience is shaped in real time by how confident, supported, and empowered your employees feel.
We often talk about the big levers—compensation, benefits, scheduling, flexibility—and those things absolutely matter. But they’re not always easy to change overnight.
What is immediately within your control is how the job itself feels to the person doing it, especially for frontline employees who interact with customers all day.
When the job feels more engaging, more meaningful, and connected to something bigger, everything improves—from the employee experience to the customer experience to the results that follow.
So I want to share two simple ways to make the job itself more rewarding—no matter your industry. These will work with any employee on your team, regardless of their role or tenure. You can even do them yourself! (You should, actually!)
1. Give employees permission to create small moments of delight
When turnover is high, many organizations respond by tightening control. More rules, more approvals, more rigidity. But that often strips away the very thing that makes a job enjoyable: the ability to think, act, and make a small difference.
Most people don’t want to feel like they’re just completing tasks. They want to feel a sense of ownership over what they’re doing and know that their actions actually matter. That their creativity or intentionality impacted another person in some way.
One of the simplest ways to create that shift is to give employees permission to make small judgment calls that improve the customer experience. That doesn’t mean removing structure altogether. It means creating clear guardrails and then trusting your team to operate within them.
I saw a great example of this earlier this year when I spoke to a group of Merry Maids franchise owners. Their teams are equipped with small “gifting kits,” and they’re trained to pick up on clues while they’re in a customer’s home.
If they notice a dog, they might leave a couple of treats behind. Maybe a coloring book for a small child, or a pack of Pokémon cards for an older child whose room is covered in posters of Pikachu and Charizard. When they see something personal, they’ll tailor a small surprise to match.
It’s a simple idea, but it changes everything.
Now, instead of just completing a checklist, employees are paying attention in a different way. They’re looking for opportunities to create a moment. They’re thinking creatively. They’re engaging more deeply with the work they’re doing.
And you can imagine how much more enjoyable that makes the job!
It could be as simple as letting an employee comp a small purchase for someone who’s having a rough day, encouraging them to recognize a regular and thank them by name, or giving them the freedom to go a little above and beyond without needing approval for every small decision.
If a customer comes in just for a fountain drink under $2, let them have it for free occasionally. Don’t promote it or turn it into a campaign. Let every customer feel like it was just a thoughtful, unexpected moment—and the employee can enjoy their reaction.
When employees are empowered to create better experiences, they start to take pride in the role they play in them. Choose an amount and a time period that every employee has the autonomy to act within, and watch how your team and your customers light up!
2. Help employees understand how the business *actually* works
Another opportunity I see—especially in frontline roles—is the lack of context employees are given about the business they’re part of.
We spend a lot of time training people on what to do, but far less time explaining why it matters.
I was talking to a friend recently who works as an office manager for a commercial baking company that produces products for major brands— from buns for national restaurant chains to pastries you’d recognize at any grocery store. When I asked her which products were performing best, she had NO idea—not because she wasn’t capable, but because no one had ever shared that information with her.
It made me think about how disconnected that must make her feel —and how common that is.
When employees don’t understand what drives the business, it’s difficult for them to see how their role fits into the bigger picture or to feel invested in the outcome. But when you give people that context, something shifts. They start to connect their actions to results and understand how their work contributes to something larger.
Most importantly, they might discover a part of the business they’d want to grow into—and begin to see a future for themselves within your company or industry at large. And when people can see a path—even an informal one—they’re more likely to stay.
In convenience retail, that might look like explaining which products drive the highest margins, why certain items are placed where they are, or how gas prices are actually determined.
In real estate, that might look like helping administrative staff understand market trends—what’s driving demand, how interest rates influence buyer behavior, or why certain listings move faster than others.
Across any industry, it comes down to the same idea: when employees understand how the business works—and how their role contributes to it—they’re far more likely to feel engaged. That visibility builds confidence, sparks curiosity, and helps people see their work as something more than just a set of tasks.
When you combine these two ideas—empowerment and understanding—you create an environment where it’s easy for every team member to embrace the role of Acting Chief of Experience. They’ll be more confident and more invested, two things your customers can feel from a mile away.
No matter your industry, always remember that the experience is shaped by the person delivering it.
Something SUPER
In honor of the #NFLDraft this week, Shep Hyken and I are drafting our top qualities in a customer experience powerhouse team. What are the top 3 qualities you look for when putting together a customer-centric team? Let us know!
Check out the latest episode of the SUPER AMAZING Show! 👇
P.S. Did a friend forward you this newsletter? SUPER! :) Subscribe here to get in on all the future fun!