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Most companies are mediocre. They have some great employees and some poor employees. The quality of customer service is dependent on the person helping you. Great companies like Apple, L. L. Bean, Disney, and Southwest Airlines provide the customer with a consistent, high quality experience. Behind the scenes these great companies have several things in common.

10 Characteristics of a High Performing Company

1. A Compelling Mission

A good mission statement clearly states the reason the company exists. The statement should be concise and compelling. It should be so simple that any employee can easily recite it.

2. Clear Organizational Goals

Once a compelling mission is established, a company should have a limited number of goals which measure the success of accomplishing the mission.

3. A Rigorous Hiring Process

Great companies are made up of great people. The hiring decision is one of the most important decisions an organization can make. Most companies focus their hiring process on a candidate’s education and experience. However, it is essential to hire people with great attitudes. Teamwork, optimism and an attitude of service are characteristics essential to individual and organizational success. Make sure your interview questions focus on these characteristics as well. See 10 Great Interview Questions.

4. Clear Behavioral Guidelines

Great companies make it clear to employees they are joining a culture not simply getting a job. Every company should establish clear behavioral expectations for all employees. This document should be used in the hiring, orientation, coaching and performance appraisal process. See the SPIRIT: Employee Commitment to Excellence as an example.

5. Dedication to Employee Engagement and Development

Employee satisfaction scores always parallel customer satisfaction scores. There is no such thing as a dissatisfied, disgruntled employee serving the customer consistently well. Good performance should be rewarded and recognized. There should be ample opportunity for career growth.

6. Devotion to Service Excellence

The primary purpose of a company is to serve the customer. The goal is not customer satisfaction but customer loyalty. Excellent companies serve the customer so well that the customer doesn’t even think about going to a competitor. It is critical to bring on employees whose natural inclination is a willingness to serve. High performing organizations are fanatical about providing clients with a great experience.

7. Accountability on Every Level

While it is important to recognize and reward high performers, it is imperative that underperformance is addressed as well. A company which tolerates poor performance will never become elite. Under-performers need to be addressed respectfully and professionally (see DIRECT Performance Feedback Model and Principles of Effective Feedback), but they should be very clear on expected performance. If they are unwilling to meet expectations, they should no longer work there. Poor performers are a bad reflection on your organization’s brand and a discouragement to good employees.

8. Clear, Continual Communication of Organizational Mission, Progress and Events

If employees are not ‘in on things,’ they feel disconnected to the organization. Their mindset becomes those of ‘hired hands.’ If an organization is diligent in informing employees on customer satisfaction, financials, current events, etc., they feel more like ‘owners.’ If you neglect to share information with your staff, the employee is likely to think either “I am not important enough to know” or “they don’t trust us.” Both of these are counterproductive mindsets.

9. Systematic Solicitation of Employee Ideas

Staff employees are closest to the customer and often have the firmest grip on reality. Asking employees their advice on operations is both respectful and smart. Respectful because employees gain a sense of contribution as they give their ideas. Smart because employees often have solutions to difficult problems. Soliciting ideas says to the employee “We value you” and “We, as management, don’t have all the answers. We are a team here.”

10. An Investment in Leadership Development

Leaders are the catalysts to great organizations. Their main responsibility is to engage their staff. To move their employees from ‘having’ to come to work to ‘wanting’ to come to work. Leadership requires a different skill set from a staff position. Make sure you train the employees that you promote to management. When you train leaders, everybody wins – employees, customers and the company.