How To (Better) Appreciate Your Customer Experience Professionals

Hopefully you don’t need to read this article on how to better appreciate your customer experience professionals. My hope is that you’re always thinking of new ways to keep your CX pros happy.

But, if not, no worries. I’ve written this post to be extremely detailed in how to better support our customer experience professionals. Because if customers are the lifeblood of our businesses, CX pros are the veins!

Okay, that may be a bad science reference, but stick with me.

Publicly Praise Customer Experience Professionals

You should recognize your CX professionals via newsletters, your intranet, meetings, or awards.

For instance, share their stories, successes, and always express gratitude. Additionally, encourage your customers to share positive experiences, testimonials, or social media praise.

Below are nine ways to celebrate and amplify your CX pros’ impact for lasting engagement.

1) Newsletter Spotlight

Dedicate a section in your company newsletter to showcase your customer experience professionals and their achievements.

Share their stories, including challenges they’ve overcome or outstanding results they’ve achieved. Include quotes from both the CX pros and your satisfied customers.

2) Intranet Features

Create a dedicated section on your company’s intranet where you regularly highlight different CX champions.

Share their photos, accomplishments, and anecdotes about their exceptional customer interactions.

For example, Zappos is well-known for its exceptional customer service. The company celebrates “Zappos Heroes,” its customer service representatives who go above and beyond, through internal recognition and stories shared on social media.

"A Zappos HERO is an employee who embraces our core values to the fullest and lives to deliver WOW to their fellow Zapponians. The most outstanding example of a core value leader will not only receive the $50 bonus from their nominating coworker but will also get their very own Zappos HERO cape (because, really, a cape is a necessity for all heroes) and a $150 Zappos gift card!”

3) Team Meeting Recognition

During team meetings, take a moment to publicly recognize your CX professionals.

For example, share specific instances where they went above and beyond to enhance customer experiences. Encourage your colleagues to applaud them and express their appreciation.

4) Award Ceremonies

Additionally, you can organize an annual or quarterly award ceremony to honor outstanding your CX champions.

Present them with certificates, trophies, or symbolic prizes. Invite top management to convey their gratitude and emphasize the importance of their contributions.

5) Customer Testimonial Sharing

Furthermore, you should encourage satisfied customers to share their positive experiences with your customer experience professionals.

Feature these testimonials on your website’s dedicated “Customer Stories” section or in a rotating banner on your homepage.

Additionally, you can copy Apple. Apple showcases stories of its Genius Bar employees who solve complex customer issues in Apple Stores, highlighting their expertise and dedication.

6) Social Media Shout-Outs

You had to see this one coming, right?! Regularly post about your CX pros on your company’s social media platforms.

As an example, you can share engaging visuals, such as images or short videos, along with captions highlighting their achievements. Encourage your customers to comment and share their own experiences.

Likewise, B Squared Media loves to highlight its team members for making a positive impact. These stories are shared through social media, where we hope to create a strong connection between us and our customers.

7) Blog Posts

Craft blog posts that delve into the personal journeys of CX champions.

Discuss their growth, challenges, and key learnings. Include multimedia elements like photos, infographics, and quotes for an engaging read.

8) Featured Interviews

Conduct short video interviews with your CX pros. Ask them about their approaches, memorable interactions, and tips for fellow team members.

Post these videos on your internal platforms and social media channels.

Moreover, you can take a page from Southwest Airlines. They emphasize a customer-centric culture. The airline publicly recognizes its employees for exceptional customer service, and stories of their actions often circulate in the media.

9) Monthly Themes

Finally, set monthly themes for CX appreciation. For instance, dedicate one month to highlighting champions who resolved complex issues or another to those who displayed exceptional empathy. This keeps recognition varied and engaging.

Remember, the key is to consistently celebrate your customer experience professionals’ efforts across multiple platforms, making them feel valued. And, hopefully inspiring others to follow their lead!

Rewarding CX Pros

It’s essential to motivate and recognize your customer experience professionals and their exceptional efforts.

Here are fifteen effective ways to reward these champions:

1) Monetary Incentives

Money talks!

Provide performance-based bonuses, gift cards, or cash rewards to CX pros who consistently deliver exceptional customer experiences.

2) Recognition Events

Organize special gatherings, like dinners or luncheons, to publicly celebrate your CX champions’ achievements and dedication.

For instance, The Ritz-Carlton is famous for its commitment to delivering outstanding customer experiences. The company empowers its employees, known as “Ladies and Gentlemen,” to resolve guest issues on the spot and acknowledges their efforts through formal recognition programs.

3) Certificates & Trophies

Or, if budgets are tight, go with personalized certificates or trophies as tokens of appreciation during team meetings or award ceremonies.

4) Professional Development

This goes without saying, but, provide opportunities for skill development. These can be workshops, courses, or certifications that help customer experience professionals enhance their expertise.

For instance, we recently developed a premium course for CX pros that creates a blueprint for a social media CX program.

5) Extra Time Off

Additionally, if you can, grant additional paid time off as a reward for going above and beyond in delivering outstanding customer experiences.

6) Flexible Work Arrangements

If you’re able, allow CX champions to enjoy flexible work schedules or remote work options as a way to acknowledge their contributions.

7) Promotion & Advancement

Recognize your champions’ efforts through promotions, raises, or opportunities for career advancement.

8) VIP Parking or Workspace

We recommended this one to a client a few years ago and they loved it! Designate prime parking spots or comfortable workspaces for CX champions as a tangible sign of appreciation.

For example, with our client, we let ‘winning’ team members park in the coveted CEO’s parking spot for a week.

9) Featured Profiles

Showcase CX champions on the company’s internal and external platforms, highlighting their achievements and stories.

For example, Amazon highlights its “Customer Obsession” by sharing stories of its customer service representatives who resolve customer issues promptly and effectively. These stories contribute to Amazon’s reputation for outstanding customer support.

Here’s Jeff Bezos on “customer obsession” all the way back in 1999!

10) Peer Recognition

Implement a peer recognition program where team members can nominate and commend each other for exceptional customer service.

As an example, on the non-profit board I sit on, we start each meeting with member-to-member kudos. Not only does this start the meeting off on a positive note, it makes everyone feel like they are valued and a part of a close-knit team.

11) Exclusive Events

Invite CX champions to exclusive company events, conferences, or workshops as a special reward.

12) Personalized Gifts

Provide personalized gifts, such as branded merchandise or customized items, to show thoughtfulness and appreciation.

13) Health & Wellness Benefits

First of all, I like this benefit for ALL team members. However, you can offer your CX pros wellness-related rewards like gym memberships, wellness retreats, or mindfulness programs.

14) Charitable Contributions

Give champions the opportunity to choose a charity or cause for the company to donate to in their name.

15) High-Visibility Projects

Assign CX champions to high-impact projects that recognize and leverage their skills.

In sum, the best rewards are tailored to the preferences and aspirations of each CX pro. Regularly communicate with them to understand what types of rewards would truly motivate them.

Encourage Customer Experience Professionals To Grow

With customer behaviors constantly changing, you have to continuously innovate and experiment.

The list below shares fifteen ways to do this.

1) Learning Opportunities

Offer access to workshops, webinars, and conferences focused on the latest CX trends, technologies, and best practices to inspire continuous learning.

2) Cross-Functional Collaboration

Facilitate interactions with other departments to expose CX pros to diverse perspectives, sparking innovation and creative problem-solving.

For example, HubSpot, a software company, showcases its customer success team’s achievements and innovations on their website and social media platforms, demonstrating their commitment to customer satisfaction.

Additionally, they have a community that shares wins and successes (and oodles of how-to content!) right on their site.

3) Innovation Challenges

Launch periodic challenges that encourage CX pros to propose innovative solutions to existing customer pain points or to enhance current processes.

4) Idea Incubation

Create a designated space or platform for CX pros to share and develop their innovative ideas, fostering a culture of experimentation.

5) Hackathons or Ideathons

Organize time-bound events where CX pros can brainstorm, collaborate, and prototype new ideas to address customer needs.

6) Pilot Projects

Allocate resources to fund small-scale experiments and pilots, allowing CX pros to test new initiatives before full-scale implementation.

5) Mentorship Programs

Pair CX pros with experienced mentors who can guide them in exploring new approaches and navigating challenges.

8) Create Feedback Loops

Encourage CX pros to actively seek feedback from customers and team members, using insights to refine their strategies and innovations.

For instance, Nordstrom is known for its customer-first approach. The company shares stories of its employees going the extra mile for customers, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to exceptional service.

9) Industry Research

Assign CX pros to conduct in-depth research on industry trends, customer preferences, and emerging technologies to inspire fresh ideas.

10) Growth Metrics

Set growth-oriented KPIs that challenge CX pros to achieve measurable improvements in customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy.

11) Resource Allocation

First, provide autonomy over resource allocation. Next, allow your CX pros to choose where to invest efforts for maximum impact.

For example, Airbnb highlights the stories of its “Superhosts,” hosts who consistently provide outstanding guest experiences. They spend time and money showcasing their dedication and impact on their platform.

12) Experimentation Time

Dedicate a portion of work time for customer experience professionals to experiment with new tools, methodologies, or approaches without the pressure of immediate results.

13) Failure-Friendly Culture

Most importantly, cultivate an environment where failures are seen as learning opportunities. Likewise, encourage CX pros to take calculated risks.

14) Regular Check-Ins

Similarly, hold regular one-on-one sessions to discuss individual growth goals, offer guidance, and provide a sage place for sharing new ideas.

15) Recognition for Innovation

Finally, make sure you recognize and celebrate innovative initiatives through internal communication channels, awards, and spotlights.

For example, take Disney. Their brand renowned for its focus on creating magical experiences. The company’s “Cast Members” receive recognition for their outstanding contributions to guest satisfaction, fostering a culture of excellence.

Customer Experience Professionals Need You

By fostering a culture of growth and innovation, you empower customer experience professionals to explore new ways to improve, experiment with fresh ideas, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of customer experiences.

Use the above 39 ideas to ensure they feel supported!

Howdy! ??? I'm happy you're here. I mostly write about social media customer care and its importance throughout the digital customer journey. ?? To see more posts like this, be sure to follow me here on LinkedIn or check out our other articles on the B Squared Media Blog.