Timing is critical at this time of the year

RECENT research we commissioned shows that the proportion of staff feeling engaged has dropped by half since 2005, a worryingly low decline.

Motivation schemes that offer staff incentives have proved highly successful in slowing turnover, improving engagement and raising performance. They provide a focus for activity, either short or long term, and generate attention, interest and momentum, which may be lacking day-to-day.

And this feeling flows through to customers. Those who have had an exceptional experience with a call centre are 72 per cent more likely to do more business with the same company than those whose experience was merely satisfactory.

Some tips:

• Research what reward will motivate all members of staff.  Rewards with little value will have no effect.

• Involve everyone -- don’t just concentrate on rewarding top achievers

• Consider an incentive programme that really creates hype and excitement…frequent instant prizes have an immediate impact.

• Offer team rewards as well as those for individuals. If the team reward is powerful, it is a good way to push the strong performers to help the new or poorer-performing members of staff to also succeed.

• Look at peer-run programmes where colleagues can give others recognition for “outstanding work” by nominating them for rewards.

• Use vouchers or travel rewards.  Cash can be lost in salaries and the value of the reward is therefore lost for the recipient.

• Finally, the efforts and achievement of all should be publicly recognised at company meetings with personal presentations by a senior manager.

This time of year is crucial for many call centres because it will determine whether yearly targets are achieved and whether customer contracts are renewed. It’s therefore a time to drive sales and build goodwill. 

The timing of any motivation programme during Christmas and New Year is vital.  Think about how many days of productivity are performance are lost during the first few days of January due to the New Year blues.  Think about splitting the reward process with part before Christmas and a surprise part waiting for employees when they return in the New Year.

Andy Philpott, marketing director, Edenred (the new company name for Accor Services, Capital Incentives & Motivation and Motivano); andy.philpott@edenred.com