Customer Service Month - 5 Ways to Celebrate Your Customer's & Associate's Success

It is October and the beginning of the fourth quarter, which is news all in itself. It's the time of year to get prepared for the end-of-year business stuff; more about how to get ready for that next time. There is something much more important that happens this month and requires our immediate attention. It is Customer Service Month!

As CEO's, small business owners, entrepreneurs or mobile professionals this is a celebration we should all have at the fore front of our minds. And if we forgot, that's ok. Although Customer Service Week officially runs from October 1, 2007 - October 5, 2007, we being business owners get to make the decision on when we celebrate. We can celebrate our customers and associates any time in October. So you still have time to recognize those who are a part of your success.

What can you do to show Customer & Associate Appreciation?

*Share a FREE report. This can be a report that can help them learn, or they can offer it as a bonus and gift to their contacts. Help your clients pay it forward. Provide fun facts for associates that they can take home and share with their family.

*Send a Thank You Card. A simple card that shows them they are in your thoughts and you appreciate the time they take to be your customer. Give your associates the recognition they deserve and motivate them to continue positive behaviors.

*Send them articles relevant to their business. This shows your customers you care about their success and have product knowledge about their business. Share articles in your internal newsletter or via a memo that may be outside of business and of interest to your associates, such as family life, organization and saving money.

*Pick up the phone and call them. Ask them if there is anything they need; answer any questions they may have; work on building a connection and on your relationship with them. Have a brown bag lunch meeting, a town meeting, or a pizza, ice cream or pajama day with your associates in mind.

(If your database is too big to contact each customer, which by the way is not a bad problem to have, then send them a personalized email. You can do this efficiently and simply through a contact management system. For associates use your internal email system).

*Recognize them for the contributions they have made in your business by advertising them in your newsletter, website or blog. Associates like being employee of the month, a closer parking space, mention in the company newsletter, certificates of appreciation.

Customer Service Month is about celebrating those that help us succeed. We can probably all agree that we do not succeed alone. From our families to our vendor relations, there are people that help us succeed and grow in our life and business. Take the moments needed, which is all it will take, to share with them how much you appreciate them being a part of your life. Result: You avoid the mistake of building your world on one-time transactions and replace the foundation with long-term relationships.

As business owners we can perform these types of gestures on a year round basis by having a Keep-In-Touch Program as part of our best business practices.

And don't forget those potential customers too. They can very easily become a part of your future business and these actions may be what makes or breaks their decision to do business with you, so don't forget those relationships. The list of how you can celebrate and appreciate goes on and on. Mark your calendars for next year and from now until then keep an on going list of ways you can celebrate your customer's and associates success.

Until the next time, keep your focus on the most important assets in your business; your family, customers, associates, strategic partners, vendors and you. Pay it forward by commenting and sharing what you are doing for Customer Service Month.

Virtual Customer Service Excellence Warrior and CEO, Roberta E. Eastman helps client driven; customer focused business owners, CEO’s and mobile professionals avoid the mistake of building their business on one-time transactions, replacing their business foundation with long-term relationships. Result: Improving the level of service you provide as a business from standard to Customer Service Excellence.