Should You Let Employees Break the Rules to Make Customers Happy?

Some customer service experiences are simple and can be automated. But others, particularly those that involve challenging and complex customer needs, often require creative solutions by frontline employees. In these situations, should employees be empowered to break rules and protocols in order to come to a satisfactory conclusion? Research suggests that certain situations can benefit from this type of employee empowerment, improving not only a brand’s relationship to its customers but also improving frontline workers’ engagement as well.