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Abstract
Social media has changed the way people are viewed in the world. Everyone has a phone
that can connect to the internet and give people the ability to broadcast their feelings or
views about people and businesses. We live in a world where people are going live and
recording for all to see what is happening in real time to give their opinion in the comment
section. In the corporate world, companies must ensure they have integrity in interacting
with customers and their employees. Most companies want to make sure that they have
integrity at the core of all transactions. To have integrity they first must have character.
The character of a person and or business plays a pivotal role in the trust that the person
has in someone else or business. This paper will explore how the character of individuals
affects the integrity of the business of ServiceMaster. By analyzing their corporate ethics
and social responsibility core values we will see that having employees who have high moral
character plays a part in the company’s sustainability and reputation. Businesses that
prioritize the customer experience but maintain the competitive edge in today’s
environment know that integrity must be the core of how they do business.
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When you think about businesses, you do not think about faith and how they can be
integrated, but they are because people are involved. People impact the world by the daily
actions they take. Their decisions can be ethical or unethical and affect others. Their
beliefs can impact marketing management because they are making the decision to be
ethical or unethical. They are building and shaping the brand by their actions. “Market
orientation is a business perspective that makes the customer the focal point of a
company’s total operations.” (Cravens & Piercy, 2009) Integrity is a core value that many
companies use in their who we are statement. ServiceMaster does not use the word
integrity in their about us statement, but they demonstrate it. ServiceMaster believes that
you must do what right. They want their customers to know that they emphasize being
honest and fair not only with the team but partners and customers. “The Lord detests
lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” (Proverbs 12:22 NIV—Bible
Gateway, n.d.) Their ethical decision making is the first thing they emphasize. Being that
they are a company that is a need based residential and commercial service provider. “Top
managers can influence the behavior of marketing professionals by encouraging ethical
behavior and discouraging unethical behavior.” (Lamb et al., 2015) From a marketing
management perspective, ServiceMaster wants to emphasize that customers can trust their
brand in a time of need. They ensure that they have ethical marketing, and that people are
not deceived by misleading promotions.
People do business with businesses who align with their values. ServiceMaster also
says in their about us statement that they take care of each other. Being transparent and
having ethical behavior helps to foster deeper consumer relationships. “The integrity of
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the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” (Proverbs
11:3 NIV—Bible Gateway, n.d) ServiceMaster is trying to prioritize honesty so they can
build long term customer loyalty and have a positive brand perception.
The bible describes good character as being rooted in qualities that reflect God’s
nature and His commandments. Being honest, having integrity and being kind are just a
few characteristics God says a person should have. This is just some of the characteristics
that God wants us to have, there are many more. ServiceMaster wants to be a company
that has strong emotional connections with their customers. They want to ensure that they
foster a positive workplace culture but also have a competitive edge in today’s socially
conscious market. ServiceMaster is a customer centered service provider. They prioritize
the customer's needs, delivering value through ethical products and meaningful
engagement. In Luke 6:31, it says to “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
(Luke 6:31 NIV—Bible Gateway, n.d) ServiceMaster also state they act with agility. They
focus on listening to the customer but also learning from them. They are focused more on
relationship marketing and know that doing this will have long-term effects on the
customer. By applying these biblical principles, ServiceMaster not only builds the
customers trust but also will create long term success through value driven and ethical
marketing.
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References
Cravens, D. W., & Piercy, N. (2009). Strategic marketing. McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Lamb, C. W., Hair, J. F., & Mcdaniel, C. (2015). Mktg 8. South-Western/Cengage
Learning.
Luke 6:31 NIV - - Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Www.biblegateway.com.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%206:31&version=NIV
Proverbs 11:3 NIV - - Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Www.biblegateway.com.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?
search=Proverbs%2011:3&version=NIV
Proverbs 12:22 NIV - - Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Www.biblegateway.com.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?
search=proverbs%2012:22&version=NIV
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