“I’m proud to be at the service of our customers”

Customer Contact Roles: Undervalued Yet Essential to a True Customer Culture

Here’s a quote from Julie, a sales associate at a leading retail brand. Julie seems happy, fulfilled, and clearly “in her element.”
Not coincidentally, her company is exemplary in both customer culture and customer satisfaction.

A key question:

At equal or even higher pay, would you be willing to take a job where you interact with customers every single day?

Unfortunately, regardless of compensation, customer-facing roles remain widely undervalued.

The Paradox of “Frontline” Jobs: Undervalued but Essential

Sociological Legacy: The “Street-Level Bureaucracy”

Sociologist Michael Lipsky coined the term street-level bureaucracy to describe the challenges faced by public servants dealing directly with citizens, highlighting the gap between top-down policies and the day-to-day reality of field interactions.

In Companies: Jobs at the “Bottom of the Ladder”

In the corporate world, roles that involve welcoming or serving customers whether in person or remotely present a similar paradox.

These positions are often seen as being at the “bottom of the ladder.” Not only in terms of responsibility or salary, but also, and more importantly in terms of recognition.
They’re typically filled by those with the least formal education or experience the roles “no one wants.”

What an absurdity for companies claiming to care about their customers and to put them at the heart of their mission.

Restoring Meaning and Pride in Frontline Teams

Three Fundamental Needs

Frontline teams need to:

• Feel supported (listened to and equipped with tools and processes that make their work easier).
• Feel useful (understand their role in the company’s overall performance).
• Feel valued (be free from the condescending view too often associated with these roles).

A Core Issue for Customer Culture

In helping organizations develop a genuine customer culture, one finding stands out:
The perception and image of customer-facing roles are often an overlooked lever yet a decisive one.

A Question Worth Asking

Are you confident that every employee who interacts with your customers feels proud of their work and supported by their colleagues across the company?

This is a field of exploration that truly drives us.

Author: Guillaume Antonietti