Much has been written lately about the importance of delivering an exceptional customer experience to succeed in today’s marketplace. In the experiential economy with instantaneous digital social connectivity, the service a company delivers can essentially be its greatest marketing tool.

In Jason Bradshaw’s new book, It’s All About CEX, he outlines how Customer Experience (CX) flows directly from Employee Experience (EX). In other words, what’s happening inside your company is being felt by customers outside your company.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we’re passing along some tips that Bradshaw recently discussed with Shep Hyken on the employee experience.

Improve the employee experience first. There is often a direct correlation between the best places to work and the best companies to buy from. When employees feel the love from leaders, they are more likely to take care of customers in return.

The lifetime value of an employee. Most companies know the lifetime value of a customer but knowing the lifetime value of an employee is just as important. Start by figuring out what it costs to replace a new employee and what benefits a good employee brings the company.

The risk of not training employees. The cost of losing a customer due to untrained employees can be exponentially higher than the cost of properly training employees. Ask yourself what costs more, properly training employees or having untrained employees interacting with your customers.

Putting employees first is a marketing strategy. Bradshaw says, “The most reasonably priced marketing strategy a company can and should implement is taking care of employees first.” As Intuit co-founder Scott Cook once said, “A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is—it is what consumers tell each other it is.” In this sense, satisfied employees equate satisfied customers.

Competition can take away more than customers. In addition to competing for the customer market, competition also refers to the potential future employers of your top talent. You should worry about other companies stealing your most prized employees than you should about them stealing your customers.

Know me. Just like customers appreciate it when you remember their preferences and use that understanding to deliver great customer service, knowing specific and relevant personal information about your employees can enhance their experiences. It’s a great feeling when colleagues remember your birthday or ask about a particular experience you had. When employers are interested in knowing their employees, not just working with them, it makes all the difference.

Try Bradshaw’s tips to drive a better employee experience.

Shep Hyken is a customer service/customer experience expert, keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling author.