What does delivering ‘Service with Respect’ mean? An interview with HR Services Director Michelle Hobson  

This week we’re celebrating National Customer Service Week – led by the Institute of Customer Service and running from Monday 6 to Friday 10 October 2025. It’s a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness of customer service and the vital role it plays in successful business practice and the growth of the UK economy. 

Here at Moorepay, we’ve been reflecting, engaging and celebrating the values that drive exceptional service and of course we’ve had some fun along the way! We’ve hosted a range of activities including in-office games, customer hero competitions and head-to-head interviews.  

Each day has a different theme, giving businesses the opportunity to reflect on how to deliver consistently great customer experiences. This year’s themes are:  

• Monday – Evolving Customer Needs  

• Tuesday – Service with Respect Day 

• Wednesday –   Productivity, Growth & Innovation 

• Thursday – Employee Engagement 

• Friday – Customer Service Recognition Day 

For our head-to-head interviews we’ve taken the theme for each day and asked members of our Senior Leadership Team what it means to them.  

On Tuesday, for ‘Service with Respect’ day, we ran an insightful session hosted by Dudley Barber, our Head of Customer Support, interviewing Michelle Hobson, our HR Services Director. They discussed the theme of ‘Service with Respect’ and how it translates into practice. It was a thought-provoking session, so I’ve highlighted some of Michelle’s key takeaways.  

The head-to-head interview  

What does ‘Service with Respect’ mean to you in the context of HR and payroll customer facing teams?  

Respect takes us beyond processes – it’s about behaviours and empathy. And this is especially important in HR and payroll environments where we’re discussing sensitive issues on a regular basis.  

Dealing with all interactions with customers fairly, efficiently and timely is integral to providing a service with respect. But respect is a two-way street. Just as our teams are expected to uphold high standards of professionalism, we ask that customers engage with us in a respectful manner as well. 

Together, we can build an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. 

How can you go about ensuring that respect is embedded into every customer interaction?  

It’s about creating a customer-centric culture which involves:   

• Working cross-functionally 

• Using clear and consistent frameworks (e.g. complaints processes, service improvement plans). 

• Showing support, working together and treating both colleagues and customers with respect. 

How can employers create a respectful culture?  

So, again it comes back to creating a customer-centric culture. However, it’s one thing saying these buzzwords, but what does it actually mean in practice?  

For me, it has to start from the top. The way a leadership team demonstrates their behaviour sets the tone for the rest of the organisation. 

And while having an organisational structure is necessary for things to run smoothly, I’m not a fan of overly hierarchical setups where you have to navigate through multiple layers just to handle simple, low-level issues. 

In addition, vulnerability-based trust is central to creating a respectful culture. Build an environment where it’s okay to be vulnerable and ask for help. Where it’s okay to say, “I’m struggling and I don’t know how to handle this, please will you help me?”  

And it’s no surprise that your internal culture spills directly over into how customers are treated. If your people feel respected and supported, it creates a ripple effect to your customers.  

How can I measure respect within my business? 

Respect is something that isn’t necessarily thought of as tangible because it’s a softer skill. In essence, it can simply be a feeling that you get about an organisation.  

However, if you want to turn that feeling into something that’s tangible and quantitative you can use metrics like:  

• NPS (Net Promoter Score) 

• Trustpilot reviews 

• eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score) 

In addition, you can gain rich insights from qualitative feedback and peer recognition.  

Want to hear more from Michelle?  

Michelle hosts our HR Masterclass webinars where she shares actionable guidance, top tips and real-life examples. Her next webinar is on hybrid working & ‘return-to-office’ mandates and you can sign up here.