Business Practices | | Published July 17, 2013

How Recognition for Excellent Customer Service Inspires Your Team

Managing a help desk and keeping employees motivated to deliver the highest level of customer service every day can be an overwhelming task. Here are some tips to help you inspire your customer support team.

As you look around your office, does it appear that some of your team members are down in the dumps and less than psyched about the daily grind? Are you noticing a trend where employees could use a little boost? Then it’s time to do something about it!

Every day your amazing help desk players show up, log in and do great work. However, when you get stuck in a routine, it’s easy to forget those valuable team members may need a little incentive to keep performance and spirits high. Showing some recognition for excellent customer service and appreciation might even increase their success rate.

A Little Praise Goes a Long Way

So often we are quick to condemn but hold our tongue when things are going right. It is easy to forget good performances as the “wheel is greased” so to speak. But don’t make this the norm! When your people are knocking it out of the park, helping customers left and right, give them more than just a pat on the back.

This is especially true when you’re helping any employee who is facing some challenges. If they’re feeling frustrated all the time, the slightest bit of praise goes a LONG way. It can even at times make the difference between retaining an outstanding employee and having them head out the door.

Contrary to constructive criticism which should be doled out behind closed doors, praise is absolutely something you should do out in the open. Everyone should know how great they and the team as a whole are doing.

Incentives

When the whole team is working as, well, a team, the office’s morale can go up swiftly. Create an incentive program where your employees as a team can earn prizes, like parties or a few extra “casual wear” workdays a week. Extras like these can also motivate them to work together, which can bring up any troubled employees to speed.

These incentives can be as small or extravagant as you want them to be. For example, if employees have mentioned how much they hate the color of the office walls, perhaps make an incentive that they can paint them whatever color they want if they fulfill a duty in record time. This can get everybody on the same page quickly.

A little competitiveness can do wonders as well. If you’ve just implemented new customer portal software into your business and want them to learn quickly, tell them whoever comes up with the best presentation wins a prize.

Listen

Above all else, make an effort to listen to your team members. Employees don’t always tell their bosses or their coworkers any issues they’re having so it’s important to listen when they do open up. Nothing boosts morale like having an ear to voice your concerns to!

Of course some of your team members may not be so willing to speak up. A nice option to offer for the less vocal ones is an anonymous “suggestion” box. You can even make a virtual one on a site like SuggestionOx. This way anyone who wants to share something that’s bothering them can do so without fear of incurring backlash.

When you address an issue, do so as a team. You and the team member(s) may be surprised at how many feel the same as they do! Plus, when you work on the issue as a team, you automatically boost team spirit and morale as you come together to find a solution.

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