10 Ways To Show Appreciation To Your Customer Service Staff—In Celebration Of Customer Service Week

This is part of?LinkedIn's new Newsletter Series. To get fresh insights on innovation, customer experience & entrepreneurship,?hit the "subscribe" button here.

Be part of the brand new Customer Experience Community. To get on the waitlist, go to??www.CustomerExperienceCommunity.com.?

Our customer teams are absolutely critical now. It is so important we celebrate them in light of Customer Service Week.

Who answers the phones, troubleshoots questions and calms disgruntled customers? The customer service team. Every successful customer-centric company has a great customer service team, but the job can be demanding and is often thankless. When a customer service team does its job well, things go smoothly for everyone else in the company, so it can be easy to overlook the customer service team.?

Customer service staff deserves appreciation—both on Customer Service Week and every day. It’s especially important this year, when customer service agents have been put through the ringer with many having to work from home and dealing with new issues and challenges from customers in a COVID-19 world.?

Here are 10 ways—large and small—to show appreciation to your customer service staff.

1 . New technology

Customer service agents depend on technology to get their jobs done. When the tech is faulty or outdated, it can hinder their job performance and happiness. Show your staff how much you care by investing in quality, updated software and devices. Ask what tools would help them do their jobs better and then make it happen.

2 . Training and development

One of the most meaningful ways you can show appreciation is by investing in someone’s future. Expand the training and development programs at your company or pay for customer service employees to participate in outside training for their personal and professional development.?

3 . Open feedback

Customer service agents are the front lines of the company, but many companies don’t often ask for their feedback and suggestions. Create lines for open communication, such as a transparent town hall or online forum, for employees to share suggestions, ask questions and vent frustrations.

4 . Food

The way to show appreciation is often through the stomach. Bring in treats or a meal for your employees or take them out to lunch. To make it extra personal, have executives serve the meal and give them a chance to mingle with employees.

5 . Public recognition

Everyone wants to be recognized for a job well done. Public recognition takes many forms—a certificate, a prize, a post on the company intranet, etc. Whatever you do, make it meaningful and personal. Highlight individuals and teams for their specific work and projects to show you are paying attention and truly value the work they are doing. You can even share it externally on social media.

________________

I’m excited to announce I’m launching a brand new?CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY.

The point of this community is to empower customer experience practitioners like you. This community is a place to connect, learn, get educated and have fun.

To secure the pricing of $69, you must be on the waitlist when the community goes live.

To sign up, visit?www.CustomerExperienceCommunity.com.?

________________?

6 . Time off

Show you appreciate your employees by giving them a break from work. Life in the contact center can be stressful, especially with the changes and challenges of COVID-19. A day or an afternoon off work can allow employees to re-charge and re-center.

7 . Bonus or gift

Money talks. Customer Service Week is a great time to give employees a little something extra, either in the form of cash, a gift card or a physical gift. The amount doesn’t matter as much as the sentiment that comes with it. If you choose the physical gift approach, make it something that employees will actually use.

8 . Field trip

Take your employees out of the office for a day of teambuilding and fun. Off-site field trips can be anywhere—golfing, taking a cooking class together, rafting, ax throwing, going on a dinner cruise—the possibilities are endless. Just choose an activity that employees will enjoy and that allows them to take a true break from work.

9 . Workplace celebration

The alternative to taking the celebration on the road is to have fun at the office. Do something out of the ordinary to give employees a break during their workday. Bring in a massage therapist or personal chef, allow employees to wear whatever they want, give them a chance to dunk the CEO in a dunk tank—there are plenty of options for creativity.

10 . Written note

It’s not the flashiest option, but a heartfelt handwritten note of appreciation can be incredibly effective. Customer service can be a thankless job, but getting a personal note from a leader can make everything worth it and build connection within the company.?

Your customer service staff deserves appreciation year-round. These 10 ideas can help you find the best way to show appreciation that makes your employees feel valued and recognized.

*Article first published on forbes.com

Be part of the brand new Customer Experience Community. To get on the waitlist, go to??www.CustomerExperienceCommunity.com.?