3 Ways Spring Creates a Summer of Great Service

Just as spring follows winter, customer loyalty follows great service. And spring offers a special kind of energy that can be used to create an internal campaign to bolster efforts to build that loyalty.

If you're in an industry that benefits from summer travel, you already know spring is the time to conduct customer service training to ensure seasonal as well as full-time staff are prepared and excited to serve and create relationships. Your goal is service that makes visitors want to return and tell their family and friends how great a time they had.

If you're in any other industry, spring still affords you a fun, colorful opportunity to promote service to build your business. You'll likely face employee shortages due to summer vacations, so your goal may be to have the kind of teamwork that encourages everyone to pitch in to deliver great service, regardless.

Here are three inspirational quotes and strategies to help you use spring to get ready for a summer of great service. 

                                  "Spring is when you feel like whistling even 
                                               with a shoe full of slush."  
                                                        Doug Larson 
 
1. Create or tap into an employee action/happiness committee. Lay out your goals of creating an internal promotion to get everyone excited about serving customers this summer. Give them a small budget, the ability to use existing creative staff, and guidance to create a program. (Don't have a group? Ask three of your best service providers to tackle the project, with help from one leader.)

                                         "Spring is the time of plans and projects."  
                                                           Leo Tolstoy
  
2. Create a theme and training goal. Your committee can create a theme as well, or maybe you've got some ideas for them to consider. A simple, "Spring into Service: Attitudes & Actions" can focus on the positive energy of service, which requires a positive attitude. Actions can emphasize how we can greet, connect, help and go out of our way this summer to build relationships with customers. You can use your theme to promote your service standards, practices and processes that reinforce "how" your team can deliver great service consistently to build your business while making service more fun and less stressful.

                                    "Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'"  
                                                           Robin Williams
 
3. Have a fun kick-off event. Include food, (root beer floats and cake come to mind so easily!), balloons and/or a fun power point filled with seasonal pictures to reinforce service and the best ways to get ready for a busy season. A speaker or an energized committee can help make your event special. Share examples that inspire the actions you want everyone to take, and express sincere gratitude for all the great effort your team makes.

               "The beautiful spring came, and when Nature resumes her loveliness,
                                             the human soul is apt to revive also."  
                                                          Harriet Ann Jacobs
Bonus Strategy:  Go out of your way to make service fun!  We all need a bit of excitement to create great service. Find ways to be the leader who can make service fun, and you'll be the leader whose business reaps the benefits for customers and employees.

Are you ready for that kind of summer?  Have fun!