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What motivates you? Is it a sense of pride for a job well done? Is it recognition? Is it money? Most likely, it's a combination of all three.
If you are in a supervisory or management position, it's critical that you understand what motivates people, including your employees. And once you understand it, you must do everything in your power to provide it.
Now, before you choke on your coffee and breakfast bar, you must also realize that motivation doesn't have to cost a lot of money, although it doesn't hurt to give deserving employees a monetary reward for exceeding your expectations. In fact, it can be something as simple as a front-row parking spot that has a sign that reads "Employee of the Month."
Money will get employees through the doors of your company, but it won't keep them with you. Let's take a closer look at what motivates employees to go above and beyond in serving your customers and other members of your team.
Pride and praise are at the top of the list. When you recognize an employee's contribution to your company, you are increasing that person's pride in who they are and what they are doing. Recognition is a crucial element when it comes to motivation.
That recognition must be timely, specific, and sincere. It's not enough to say, "Jeff, you did a great job." Instead, say, "Jeff, you did a great job on the Craig report. It was well written, and you completed it two days early." Recognize what, exactly, he did to earn your praise. Was the report accurate? Was it on time? Be specific. Recognition is like food; employees need it every day, not just once a year.
It's also important that you recognize exceptional employees in public because it will increase the pride they feel for their accomplishments. It will also motivate other employees to do better and get the same recognition. It's also nice to recognize employees in front of your customers. If, for example, you see an employee assisting a customer, you might stop and introduce yourself. And say, "Sarah is one of our best employees; I know she'll do a great job in helping you."
You can also motivate employees by giving them the authority to make decisions and take actions to satisfy customers who have a problem with something they purchased from you. Doing this shows that you respect and value your employees. When you allow, and encourage, employees to make decisions without having to seek management approval, you are motivating them to do what is best for your customers and for your company. Remove roadblocks that prevent them from providing your customers with such exceptional service that those customers will continue to do business with you for years to come.
Eliminate policies and programs that are barriers to providing exceptional customer service. Then institute policies that allow your employees some latitude in solving customer complaints. Give them clear but general guidelines, so they have room to maneuver and think creatively. Trusting your employees also maintains morale in difficult situations and leads to pride in what employees do and how they do it. Empowerment and authority are great motivators.
Training is another great motivator. When you, as a manager or supervisor, select exemplary employees to participate in specialized training programs, you are sending them a message that says, "I value you, and I want to enroll you in a training program that will help you meet and, hopefully, exceed the goals you have set for yourself and your career."
Finally, you can motivate and recognize your employees by involving them. For example, you can form a task force to study issues the company is experiencing and ask your top performers to join that team and share their suggestions. Let them know that you value them and their suggestions.
Think about other ways you can motivate your employees to go above and beyond what you expect of them. And when they do that, recognize and reward them.
John Tschohl is the founder and president of the Service Quality Institute, the global leader in customer service with operations in more than 40 countries. He is considered one of the world's foremost authorities on all aspects of customer service, often called the "father of customer service," and has developed 20 customer service training programs and eight books, including Moving Up, that are used by companies throughout the world. His monthly strategic newsletter is available online at no charge at customer-service.com. He can also be reached on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.