Good mission statements are written as much for the front line employees as for top management. Even if a mission statement captures the very soul of the store, that alone is inadequate. Developing key mission success indicators and providing ongoing feedback are crucial to drive your store forward. Once you're in the position to measure success, you can move more effectively develop the self-management skills of those most closely involved with service delivery. The road to the effective empowerment of staff is paved with training and skill development.
Self management presumes the motivation and skill to manage.
Therefore, if you intend to exceed customer expectations, it is first necessary to define what they are, to periodically measure your store's performance against them, and to continuously improve those areas identified as weak. Examples of what customers expect and value include reliably stocking the products they need, friendly, responsive, and knowledgable people to serve them, and fast efficient, customer friendly operations. Similarly, if you intend to exceed the reasonably expectations of your employees, you must first define what they are, solicit employee feedback to establish how you rate, and act on areas of deficiency promptly and fairly. Common examples of what employees value include fair compensation, appreciation for outstanding work, involvement in decisions that impact them, and the opportunity to develop professionally. Lastly, if you intend to exceed the owner's expectations, you must first define them clearly, communicate them to everyone, monitor success in achieving those expectations, and act promptly to continuously improve.