Measuring Success Through Client and Employee Satisfaction
We all know that people spend a lot of time at work and many seek (but have not found) fulfillment in their careers. I’m proud to work at a company that strives every day to create an environment where people can find fulfillment – as well as some fun! That’s why it was so gratifying when the Cincinnati Enquirer recently named Truepoint one of its top companies to work for in the city.
One of my responsibilities at Truepoint is to cultivate our culture, and my job is made so much easier by the fact that our entire team is laser-focused on one primary goal: to create the very best experience for our clients. This is the cornerstone of our business and is almost like a higher calling for our team members. This means we don’t have to artificially construct an atmosphere of collaboration; it’s a natural byproduct of our singular focus of providing the best client service possible.
We are mindful that the work we do for our clients is critical and that the stakes are high. After all, we are managing people’s entire financial lives. We’re not just earning them returns on their investments; we’re helping them solve problems and build long-term strategies for themselves and their families. That means returns alone can’t tell us how we’re doing, so we survey our clients regularly. Recently, I’ve been happy to see the word “team” crop up more and more in these surveys. It shows us that our clients understand and appreciate our integrated approach. They see us as a group of professionals who work together to help them. We sleep well at night knowing we’ve done right by our clients. It gives our work real meaning and brings us a sense of purpose.
Though teamwork is our bedrock, part of my job is to ensure we remain attentive to each employee individually. Our company leaders are committed to helping employees grow in their careers because we want people to stay at Truepoint—and to flourish. We strive to place people in roles where they’re able to draw on their unique strengths and abilities, even if it takes them in new directions. It’s not uncommon at Truepoint to find folks who have worked here many years and who have, during that time, switched gears and changed roles. This helps keep our employees engaged, challenged, and fulfilled in their work.
Though the work we do for our clients is very serious, we make sure to have fun as a company, too. One reason is that we just want people to enjoy their time at work. But these fun events serve a larger purpose, too. We believe that goofing off a bit and getting to know each other outside of work helps our employees deepen their relationships with their colleagues. Simply put: when you trust your team, your work is better.
So, just as we survey our clients to understand how well we are serving them, we also regularly survey our employees. Those surveys show time and again that everyone at Truepoint has each other’s backs. I think that’s very unique in an industry that often focuses so much on individual achievement.
The way that we measure our company’s success at Truepoint is also a little different from other companies in our industry. We keep our eyes on employee satisfaction and client satisfaction. We want both to be at world class levels. If those two metrics remain strong, then we’re confident we’ve had a successful year. Of course, profitability is important for sustainability. But we believe—and our experience has shown—that when satisfaction is in place, profitability will follow. For this reason, we look at each strategic decision through these two lenses–client satisfaction and employee satisfaction—and we let those two factors guide us. If we do that, we believe we will remain a best-in-class organization.
We’re grateful at Truepoint for the many accolades we have received over the years, and I’m especially pleased by those that highlight our employees’ happiness. But my greatest professional reward is getting to work at a fulfilling, meaningful, and fun job every day.
