Start Planning for Customer Service Week.

New York, NY -- August 13, 2003 -– Q. What do Abbott Laboratories, the City of Houston, and Xerox have in common? A. They are among the thousands of companies that celebrate Customer Service Week.

Each year during the first week in October, companies across the nation observe Customer Service Week to celebrate the efforts of customer service, call center and helpdesk professionals — the people in the front lines of the service revolution. This year's celebration will take place from October 6–10.

Customer Service Week was started by the International Customer Service Association in 1988. In 1992, the U.S. Congress proclaimed it a nationally recognized event.

You might be tempted to groan as you assume that this is just another party that will detract from the work at hand in your company. In fact, Customer Service Week was created with five objectives in mind, all of which will directly impact your bottom line. They are:

1.    Boost morale, motivation and teamwork in your customer service department.
2.    Reward your frontline reps for the important work they do all year long.
3.    Raise companywide awareness of the important role customer service plays in your organization's success.
4.    Thank other departments for their yearlong support.
5.    Let your customers know about your company's commitment to customer satisfaction.

Tips for a successful celebration

Whether you celebrate for an afternoon or with a full week of special events and activities, here are some can't-miss ideas that can be incorporated into every celebration.

• Create the right atmosphere. Decorate the customer service department and the entire company with posters, banners and balloons. Hang posters and banners early to generate excitement for the celebration to come.

• Host festive parties. Parties are a great way to show your reps you appreciate their hard work. Start the week with a kick-off party. Invite senior management to discuss the role customer service plays in your company's success. Then, wrap up the week by taking your reps to a special lunch or dinner out of the office and away from the phones.

• Blow your own horn. This is the perfect time to let everyone know about the excellent work the customer service department does. Share information on the number of calls handled in a typical week, the dollar value of cross-selling in the last year, positive survey results and more.

• Acknowledge other departments. Distribute certificates of appreciation and small gifts to those unsung heroes in other departments who make a great effort to meet customers' needs.

• Thank your customers. Send a thank-you card to each of your customers. For maximum impact, include a hand-written note, a copy of your service mission statement or a photograph of your team.

• Reward your reps. Thank your reps for their valuable contributions with certificates of appreciation and special gifts placed at every workstation each morning.

• Have fun. Games and contests of all kinds are great for relieving stress and building teamwork. Plan an activity for each day and be sure to award prizes to everyone.

Additional information on Customer Service Week and how to plan a successful celebration is available from the Customer Service Group at their Customer Service Week website, www.CSWeek.com. The site provides background on the week, sample agendas, puzzles, games, email postcards, and more.





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