Appreciating service people during this Festive Season

Dieudonné is a young man who works at the Hotel des Milles Collines in the banqueting department. I first came into contact with him when I started organising the previous ServiceNight. The day of the event; the room we were supposed to use was occupied by two different seminars until 5.20pm. Our guests were supposed to arrive at 6.30pm. As I sat there overstressed and tensed about the delay our event might take, Wanini, the Sales and Marketing Manager kept reassuring me that everything will be fine and on time. Within 40mn; Wanini, Dieudonné and a team of dynamic and professional people started running around for the set up. When guests actually started coming at 6.30 prompt, everything was set and at the right place. Seeing our guests enjoying themselves, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking that none of them could imagine all that went on before their arrival. As customers, we don’t always think of what service people have to go through in order to offer us excellent service. Being in the service industry is not an easy job. It is even a very stressful one. It is a very demanding one. It requires, above all, a great deal of passion and determination. Some people in the service industry have to wake up as early as 3:00 am in order to make sure that everything is set and ready at 6:00 am when customers arrive; some even have to work in the night. You might say that is their work and that they are paid for it. That’s true but believes me, being in the service industry requires more than just a pay. It requires that people go the extra mile. It requires that sometimes, the service person forgets about his/her personal emotions in order to satisfy customers. As the year finally winds down, this is the right time to appreciate the numerous people who work in the service industry. They are brave men and women who deserve that we applaud for them; that we appreciate them. This is the right time to celebrate them for what they have made the company achieved. This is the time to reward employees for excellent performance. This is the time to organise get-together events with employees. You might think of cash bonus, gifts vouchers, a cash gift etc. Unfortunately, these deliver little in the way of lasting impact. Their benefits are very short term. An excellent way of creating loyalty among your employees is to create an event where you spend some time with them. A party is a great way to build a sense of team and build stronger relationships in a non-work environment. A good party makes everyone feel better after a good time together. The benefit of better relationships can last years and increase productivity. Recognizing your employees can go a long way in boosting their morale and making them know that you noticed their efforts in sustaining your business. Celebrate together with your team your company’s achievements and this will go a long way in inspiring and motivating your best performers to continue to achieve higher goals. Recognizing service people is crucial to boost end of year moral and can provide excellent motivation for the year to come. Whatever type of recognition you choose to do, it will ultimately communicate to your workers that they are valued and an important piece of your business.Wishing all service people a very happy festive season. The author is a customer service consultant and the Publisher of The ServiceMag www.theservicemag.com