16 NOVEMBER 2018 • FOGHORN FOGHORNFOCUS: CUSTOMER SERVICE Navigating your risks, day and night. As the owner of a passenger vessel you face tough decisions every day, from hiring qualified crew to making sure your vessel is in prime condition. At Aon, we spend day and night thinking about your maritime risks so buying insurance doesn’t have to be another tough decision. We work with you to develop creative approaches and customized solutions that deliver more efficiencies, improved profitability and greater value. For more information, please call 1.800.730.7053 or visit passengervessel.com/member-resources.html#insurance Risk. Reinsurance. Human Resources. Navigating your Aon Risk Solutions Marine rarely fill out surveys but this fantastic ex- perience had me searching for a way to say Thanks! Kudos to WSF!!!!”  Lesson 2: Happy Employees = Happy Customers Is there a link between treating employees well and having them then provide superior service to customers? Some think so. Many industry giants have endorsed the philosophy that having happy employees equates to happy customers. These include Starbucks, VirginAirlines, Zappos and Southwest Airlines. Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines has famously championed for an about-face to the traditional “customer first” strategy. “Years ago, the business schools used to pose it as a conundrum,” Kelleher once said. “They would say, `Well, who comes first? Your employees, your shareholders, or your customers?’ But it’s not a conundrum. Your employees come first. And if you treat your employees right, guess what? Your customers come back, and that makes your shareholders happy. Start with employees and the rest follows from that.” PVA Associate member Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City, FL un- derstands the value of its employees and corporate success. That message hit home on October 10 when Hurricane Michael made landfall on Florida’s panhandle. The ship- builder was one of the many busi- nesses that was took a direct hit. While damage to the facility is man- ageable, many company employees suffered damage to their homes, some severely. The management at Eastern Shipbuilding quickly initiated help for their employees by providing shelter to those who needed it most, helping to feed and take care of employees’ families, and seeking relief to assist in rebuilding homes that were com- pletely lost. With some channels of communica- tion still not fully operational, Eastern Shipbuilding President Joey D’Isernia reached out to his employees online through the company website. “We If your company has been impacted by a hurricane or another declared natural disaster, the Small Business Administration has information that may help your business recover. Go to https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/ to learn more about disaster assistance.