Your customer service team is at the front lines of your business, sometimes the first time a customer interacts with one of your employees. A bad interaction with customer service can cost your company more than just an upset customer. According to research:
- More than half of Americans have scrapped a planned purchase or transaction because of bad service.
- 33% of Americans say they’ll consider switching companies after just a single instance of poor service. (American Express 2017 Customer Service Barometer)
On the other hand, good customer service can put your company at a huge advantage over your competitors. In fact, most customers are willing to spend more with a company that offers superior service, and 77% of customers would recommend a company to a friend after having a positive experience with them. (Temkin Group)
Keeping customer service employees engaged and taking excellent care of your customers will have a positive ripple effect over your entire organization. Customer Service Appreciation Week is the perfect time to make sure your service team feels valued and is performing their best. With that in mind, here are 5 ideas for recognizing your customer service team.
Customer Service Appreciation Week: 5 Great Ways to Celebrate
1. Kick off the week right.
Send out a bulletin to the team letting everyone know that you’ll be celebrating Customer Service Appreciation Week. This will help everyone be excited for what you are planning. If you will be offering food, make sure everyone knows when and where it will be. If you’ll be hosting any presentations or award ceremonies, make sure the phones are covered so that all can attend.
2. Offer heartfelt and personal thanks for a job well done.
A handwritten thank you card, or presentation from the executive team that highlights the contributions of each employee will go a long way to help your team feel truly appreciated.
3. Let the customer service department host an open house.
One great way to help employees feel appreciated is to let them show others how their department works. Have other departments, especially managers, shadow support calls, or even take a few calls to really get a feel for what the service department is dealing with on a day-to-day basis.
4. Have some fun!
What this entails will depend on the size of your team and the culture of your company, but some ideas are providing breakfast, lunch, or fun treats throughout the week. Perhaps a fun outing to a sporting event, amusement park or movie. If your budget is tight, you can host a dress up or dress down day, an office decoration contest, or a day where you close early.
5. Offer chair massages.
Sitting at a computer for hours a day can take a toll on even the most dedicated and positive customer service rep. Offering chair massages during the week can offer pain relief, a much-needed mental break, and allow employees a chance to recharge before heading back to their desk. Even one 20-minute massage can have lasting positive effects.
While recognizing your employees during Customer Service Appreciation Week will help them feel appreciated, employee engagement is not a one and done effort. It’s important to help employees feel engaged all year long. That being said you’ll need to develop a culture that encourages employees to enjoy their work and feel valued for their contribution.
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