r service and culture can have a significant impact on businesses, resulting in an estimated annual loss of US$75 billion dollars. Additionally, there are costs associated with the employee experience, such as increased absenteeism, high stress levels, poor morale, and attrition. On the other hand, a positive service culture can have a profound effect on sales, revenue growth, customer and employee retention, loyalty, reputation, and profitability. When customers are highly satisfied, they become loyal brand advocates who refer and recommend the organisation to others.  A customer-focused organisation that truly delivers results has a culture embedded in its DNA, with the customer at the centre of decision-making, processes, and daily actions. In such an organisation, every leader, individual, and department prioritises the customer, leading to a world-a class customer experience. The solution is creating buy-in and a sustainable service culture from the inside out. When everyone in the organisation is all-in, there is organisation-wide commitment and responsibility for the customer experience. Achieving a strong service culture requires the following: Defining and communicating the vision  Clearly articulate the service strategy and vision of the organisation regarding customer service. Make it both compelling and inspiring, outlining the desired customer experience and the role of every individual in delivering it. Ensure that the vision is communicated consistently and regularly across all levels of the organisation.  Creating a supportive environment Foster a supportive and positive work environment where employees feel valued, empowered, and motivated. Recognise and reward team members who consistently deliver exceptional service. Encourage teamwork and collaboration across departments to ensure a seamless customer experience.  Defining service standards Building a customer-focused culture starts with clearly defining and identifying what excellent service looks like. Establishing service standards and behaviours that align with the organisation’s goals provides clarity for individuals, teams, and leadership. Service standards serve as a common set of expectations, ensuring consistency and a distinct customer experience. They should be used in orientation, onboarding, training, coaching, and performance goals to lay the foundation for delivering excellence in customer service. Provide regular feedback and ongoing coaching to help team members enhance their skills and address any areas for improvement. Investing in training and development Training should target three levels: mindset, behaviours, and skills. Mindset training emphasises placing the customer at the centre of all decision-making and actions. Behaviours focus on reinforcing service standards and organisational expectations. Skills training equips employees with the necessary tools and techniques to support a seamless customer experience. Customer service training should be delivered to every team member in both frontline and internal roles and service leadership training should be targeted to all people leaders. Training is essential for developing a customer-focused culture. Leadership focus Leadership has the single biggest impact in shaping the service culture of an organisation. Every people leader within an organisation is responsible for driving a service culture. Customer service goes way beyond the customer service department. It is about each business unit focusing strongly on the customer and knowing how their work impacts the end experience in both customer-facing and support roles. Leaders need to demonstrate a strong commitment to customer service and model the desired behaviours. They should consistently prioritise the customer and actively engage in customer interactions. Frontline focus The frontline team is critical to the customer experience. Whether via face to-face, telephone or digital interactions, they are the face of the company. One thing remains constant: the power of the human experience. No matter how much you invest in technology or research and development, your people will always be your point of difference.  Internal focus  Everyone in every department (including IT, HR and finance) must focus on the customer and understand their role in the overall customer experience. It’s taking care of internal customers, as well as external ones. The quality of the customer’s experience will depend on how well people serve each other within the organisation.  Creating an ‘all-in’ service culture can be achieved through a clear service strategy, CEO and executive support, leadership, frontline and support service training, service standards, and embedding strategies.  A service culture is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process that requires commitment and dedication. By following these steps consistently and fostering a culture of customer-centricity, organisations can create an ‘all-in’ service culture that people willingly embrace and follow.