There’s a certain kind of shop that makes you smile the moment you walk through the door. The lighting is warm, the music is thoughtfully curated, the layout is considered, and the staff -well, they’re just effortlessly lovely. They’re helpful, not pushy. They’re friendly, not fake. You feel seen, but not smothered. Everything about the experience feels intentional, and you leave thinking, “I liked it there. I’d go back.”
That reaction isn’t just about products or prices. It’s about how the place made you feel – welcomed, respected, maybe even uplifted. It’s a full-circle experience that wraps around you and leaves a lasting impression.
You may assume this is something purely designed for the customer experience, but to effortlessly pull this off, it also needs to be deeply rooted in what the people working in that shop feel every day. Because the atmosphere you love as a shopper starts with them – how they’re treated, how they’re led, how much pride and energy they bring to their work.
And that’s the big lesson we take into the service industry. Because at Ascend Payroll, we don’t sell shoes or candles or curated lifestyle items. We deliver managed payroll services. But the principles of joyful service, mutual respect, and shared values apply just as much to us as to any boutique.
Workplace chemistry flows both ways
Too often, people imagine service delivery as one-sided. They expect the service provider to bend over backwards to accommodate the client, no matter what. But excellent service, the kind that feels smooth and natural, requires something more fundamental: chemistry. There needs to be mutual respect and genuine human rapport between the service provider and client. That’s where the magic happens.
Our people spend their days talking to clients, solving problems, answering questions, and making sure payroll runs like clockwork. But they’re not just performing a function. They’re building relationships. They’re investing emotional energy into every interaction. And it’s incredibly hard to sustain that momentum, authentically and over time, if the client doesn’t respect them in return.
We’re lucky at Ascend. We’ve worked hard to build an environment where our team thrives. We prioritise psychological safety, career development, and a culture that says, “Do the right thing, always.” And part of doing the right thing? Making sure our people don’t have to put up with toxic behaviour, whether it’s from inside the company or outside.
The clients you dread, and the cost they bring
Anyone who’s ever worked in a customer-facing role knows the feeling. A particular client’s name pops up on your screen, and your heart sinks. You mentally prepare for a battle. You second-guess everything. And you wonder why it’s so difficult, every single time.
Those clients drain your energy. They sow anxiety across teams. They take more time than they should, erode your margins, and, more dangerously, undermine your team’s morale and trust in leadership.
Yet some service businesses continue to chase every lead, penny, and contract – often at the cost of their team’s energy and focus.
At Ascend Payroll, we don’t do that.
We’re not building a business on volume. We’re building one on values. And we don’t work with just anyone. We work with people we like, people we respect, people who treat our team well, and who want to build relationships that go deeper than transactions.
Joyful service is powerful
When our team works with people they genuinely like, everything changes. Conversations flow more naturally, problems get solved faster, and there’s room for humour, patience, and mutual understanding.
A difficult week becomes a shared challenge, not a blame game. Mistakes (because they do happen) are met with empathy, not escalation. We collaborate to fix things, not cover our backs. And that trust, built over time, leads to some of the most personal, loyal, and long-lasting client relationships we’ve ever known.
This is what we mean when we say service delivery can bring joy. Not the loud kind, but the steady kind that comes from knowing you’re doing meaningful work, with people you respect. That joy fuels energy and, over time, it builds real momentum.
Our team deserves great clients
Our people are smart. They’re kind. They’re deeply committed to doing a great job. They stay late when it matters. They celebrate client wins. They show up with care, every single day. And we fiercely believe that they deserve to be treated with the same respect and professionalism that they offer others.
So yes, we say no sometimes. We don’t chase every opportunity. We don’t try to be everything to everyone. We’d rather grow in the right direction, with the right partners, than grow fast and regret it.
And that decision pays off.
- It pays off in retention -our people stay because they feel energised by the work and the people they share it with.
- It pays off in performance -clients get a team that’s motivated, not exhausted.
- And it pays off in relationships – we build trust, loyalty, and joy.
Choosing the right clients is a strategic advantage
Some might say this approach is risky. In our view, the real risk is trying to grow a business around people you don’t want to work with.
Because service businesses are, at their core, about people. People solving problems for people. People showing up for people. And when those relationships are grounded in respect, understanding, and goodwill, they go further.
For us, the choice is simple;
- We want to work with good people
- We want our team to feel energised, not depleted
- We want to build a reputation, not just for what we do, but for how we do it.
When we get that right, everyone wins.
Doing the right thing, always
At Ascend, one value sits at the heart of everything we do:
Do the right thing, always. This means;
- Setting boundaries, even when it’s hard
- Putting people before profit and prioritising long-term health over short-term wins
- Creating a workplace where kindness is normal and respect is non-negotiable.
It’s more than a phrase, it’s the standard we hold ourselves to. It’s how we make decisions, build relationships, and measure success. And when your team feels safe, valued, and supported, something powerful happens – and everyone moves forward together.
It’s not just the right thing to do.
It’s the smart thing to do.
And it’s how we build a business that lasts.
