I frequently get this question.

Leaders want to get their employees obsessed with customer service. The first step on that journey is creating a customer service vision statement.

Many leaders ask me if they should share the statement with customers. Typically, this means incorporating the vision into advertising, branding, or other marketing messages.

The answer is it depends!

Every organization is unique, so there's no one right answer. Here are some things to consider to help you decide what's right for your situation.

The short answer

Pressed for time? I've created this short video explanation. Keep reading below for a more in-depth answer.

The customer service vision is for employees

A customer service (or customer experience) vision is a shared definition of outstanding service that gets everyone on the same page. You can learn more and see examples here.

Keep in mind the vision is first and foremost for employees. It should clearly guide everyone's actions, regardless of whether you share it with customers.

What's important is that you don't change your vision's wording or meaning just to make it more presentable to an external audience. For this reason, I don't recommend involving customers in the vision writing process.

Marketing the customer service vision

The decision to share the vision as part of your marketing should be based on whether it helps your customers understand the value you provide.

There are three general approaches:

• Share the vision

• Share a different version

• Don't share the vision

Some organizations share the vision directly.

The customer service vision at Navy Federal Credit Union is "Our members are the mission." This statement is also an advertising slogan for the credit union, and is frequently shared with customers.

Here's an example from a commercial where the vision is clearly shared.

Other organizations share an alternative version of the vision with customers.

The customer service vision at JetBlue is "Inspire humanity." The company often incorporates alternative versions of this vision in its advertising that make more sense to customers.

Watch this commercial to see an example. Notice the tagline near the end, "Air on the side of humanity," which is a direct nod to the vision statement.

Still other organizations keep the vision for employees and design separate marketing messages that are more appropriate for customers.

The customer service vision at The Ritz-Carlton chain of luxury hotels is "We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." The vision isn't exactly a secret, but marketing messages focus on the guest experience.

Guests, not hotel associates, are the star of this commercial that seeks to inspire you to seek adventure and make memories while traveling.

There are some risks involved with this third option.

Marketing messages should still align with the vision statement. It can create confusion for customers and employees alike if they send completely different messages.

For instance, The Ritz-Carlton is marketing luxury travel. This is closely aligned with the vision of “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”

However, a commercial full of irreverent, sophomoric humor would be completely off base with the vision and wouldn’t make sense for this particular brand.

Customer service vision resources

I've assembled some resources to help you tackle this and other questions surrounding customer service visions.

Start with my step-by-step guide to writing a customer service vision.

Find more guidance on getting your employees obsessed with customer service from The Service Culture Handbook.

Prefer video? This LinkedIn Learning course will walk you through the process of building, growing, and maintaining a customer-focused culture.