Organizations go through great pains to expand their memberships by reaching out to new audiences, often at the expense of existing communities. While the purpose is to represent members, some organizations have fallen into poor customer service habits that, if not fixed soon, will alienate the very members needing help.

One crucial mistake is to misunderstand how a proper customer service operation should be run, writes Forbes contributor Shep Hyken (who, by the way, recently served as the president of the National Speakers Association).

When organizations do not understand the purpose of customer service or do not recognize its role as more than a department, it can lead to mismanagement and poor results.

“Customer service is not a department,” Hyken says. “It is a philosophy to be embraced by every employee, from the CEO to the most recent hire.”

Making adjustments to maximize your service starts with a strong leadership and proper training. Hiring managers who act as role models for other employees and consistently provide training or suggestions on improvement can make a significant impact on performance.

“What’s happening on the inside of a company is felt on the outside,” Hyken says.

Another tactic for improvement is reaching out to current members for feedback. Communicating with your members reduces the possibility of you having more confidence in your service than your customers do.

“Great customer service doesn’t happen by accident,” says Hyken. “It takes great thought, planning, communication, implementation, and the right people.”

Tweet of the Day

With Twitter turning 10, we asked some of its well-known users to reflect on its impact https://t.co/CIdRLdg0nd

— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 21, 2016

Ten years ago today, the first tweet was posted online, changing the face of social media and global engagement. In honor of the anniversary, New York Times reporters Katie Rogers and Daniel Victor asked celebrities and industry leaders to reflect on how Twitter has changed the world.

Other Good Reads

Need some help getting motivated this Monday? The Telegraph‘s Brooke Streatfield has a few app suggestions to boost productivity.

While candidates struggle to secure a nomination, nonprofits may be the real winners this election cycle.

When it comes to the internet, it can be hard to find your own voice. Hootsuite blogger Andrew Pressault breaks down some basic steps to help you strengthen your online presence. (By the way, be sure to check out what our blogger Ernie Smith had to say about this topic recently.)

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