| Customer Service Week, which occurs the first | | | | from home.o Talk about stress relief. Have your |
| full week of October every year, is a fantastic | | | | HR department do a seminar on stress relief and |
| way to reward front line customer service reps | | | | work life balance. I've known companies that have |
| and to raise awareness throughout the rest of | | | | found a local massage therapist that was willing to |
| the company about the important role that | | | | come in and do discounted chair massages as a |
| customer service plays in the corporation's | | | | way to drum up new business. Your employees |
| success. | | | | will LOVE you.o No money can buy what |
| Many of us have been fortunate enough to take | | | | recognition and thanks can provide. Have your |
| part in past fabulous CS Week celebrations - | | | | president or beloved senior manager write a |
| lavish decorations, dinners, games, gifts, contests, | | | | personal heartfelt thank you message in a card or |
| award banquets, theme days, and all sorts of | | | | a certificate and give it out to each employee |
| over the top reinforcement of the importance of | | | | personally.o Serve martinis! One company I know |
| our jobs. | | | | collected small amounts of money from managers |
| We all recognize the importance of celebrating our | | | | and supervisors from their own pockets and |
| successes in providing excellent service to our | | | | bought the fixings for virgin cocktails and hors |
| customers but how do we recognize employees | | | | d'oeuvres. The managers dressed up in aprons |
| in these difficult economic times when there may | | | | and silly outfits and served the food and |
| be no budget for these types of celebrations. | | | | beverages to the CSR's at their desks.o Small |
| With employees taking on more work to support | | | | gifts can mean a lot. Buy everyone a dollar store |
| their companies through this time it becomes | | | | mug and put it on their desk with a thank you |
| even more important to thank them for their | | | | note inside. Bigger spenders can also include a |
| efforts. | | | | coffee gift card.o Make a mess. A former |
| Here is just a short list of low cost ideas that | | | | workplace of mine raised donations of canned |
| have been successful for other budget conscious | | | | goods and supplies for a local food bank by |
| customer service departments - but the | | | | offering employees the chance to throw a pie |
| possibilities are endless.o Hype is free! Send emails | | | | filled with whipped cream in the face of their |
| - print posters - hand make banners - have senior | | | | manager. Five cans of food bought them one pie. |
| executives make speeches. The more the better | | | | Giving to those less fortunate makes everyone |
| - create excitement.o It's amazing what you can | | | | feel good.o Be creative. A long, long time ago |
| buy at a dollar store. Buy up a box full of silly | | | | when I managed my first small customer service |
| items, useful items, coffee mugs, stuffed animals, | | | | team I wrote a poem every Christmas in the |
| candy - wrap each item and give them out as | | | | form of T'was The Night Before Christmas |
| prizes. My first customer service department did | | | | including each CSR's name and something funny |
| this every year as a part of a contest. Each CSR | | | | or notable about them. They looked forward to |
| was asked a company related question (some | | | | this every year and it remained on the bulletin |
| were silly like managers' middle names). Those | | | | board until the next holiday season. Try writing |
| who answered correctly won a prize. Every year | | | | your own lyrics to a popular song. Be brave and |
| this contest turned into a fun and rowdy challenge | | | | have the managers sing it!o Pass on praise. One |
| amongst teammates.o CS departments love to | | | | by one have everyone in the team write one |
| eat. Have a pot luck and invite other managers | | | | thing they like about someone on a piece of |
| and executives to participate. Conduct it in a | | | | paper. This works best if everyone is in the room |
| meeting room where everyone can mingle and | | | | together and says what they like before writing it |
| chat.o Host an open house! Invite the rest of the | | | | down. Better yet, have each person take turns |
| company to come by CS and see what they do. | | | | standing in the front of the room while the rest |
| Let them listen in to calls. Post photos and a | | | | each take turns saying what they like about |
| biography of each CSR. Have some nibblies and | | | | them. Initially everyone will be embarrassed but |
| drinks and create a power point presentation to | | | | some of the things they hear will remain with |
| play continuously that outlines facts about the | | | | them a lifetime. |
| department (calls per day, call per person... throw | | | | Have fun with Customer Service Week this year |
| in fun things like the average age in the | | | | no matter what your budget is. It will go a long |
| department or the most common birth sign in the | | | | way towards retaining your top team players and |
| department).o Have a theme day! Declare it | | | | promoting profitability and productivity. Happy |
| beach day and let people go crazy bringing | | | | Customer Service Week! |
| decorations and appropriate clothing and games | | | | |