Customer Service Week Agendas —
Host Challenging Contests
Sponsors and bonding make the week
While we always advocate planning early, here’s one team that learned about Customer Service Week just a few days ahead of time. Undaunted, the customer service team at The Institute of Internal Auditors put together a wonderful celebration. Their keys to success were asking other departments to sponsor activities, and creating low-cost games, which poked a little good-natured fun at senior management.
Here’s how the week came together:
Monday was sports day with the marketing department sponsoring a pizza lunch. The day’s main activity was a low-cost bowling game. Bowling pins were created from empty soda bottles and to add to the fun, photos of the leadership team adorned each bottle.
Tuesday was color day and the team dressed in Customer Service Week purple and yellow. The membership and human resources departments provided a catered lunch and the team played a home-grown game called Sharpie Put. The object of the game is to hit a paper target with a Sharpie marker. And because management came in for their share of ribbing, the center of the target featured a photograph of the department's vice president.
Wednesday was cozy-slippers day. And who wouldn’t like to wear slippers at work. The certifications department provided breakfast and the team played basket toss with a foam ball and a trash can.
Thursday was crazy-hat day with the event services group sponsoring breakfast. The team got to know colleagues with a matching game. A sheet was created for each of the two service teams. The sheet simply included a photograph of each team member. Then the sheets were distributed to the other team. Next, it was time for reps to write down the name of each person on the other team alongside their photograph. And if a rep didn’t know someone's name? Then she had to go to the other department, introduce herself and ask.
Friday was Hawaiian shirt day. The bookstore department and the research foundation sponsored breakfast and both teams played a trivia game, which helped them continue to get to know each other. Each spin of the wheel revealed information, which had to be matched to the correct rep.
Finally, throughout the week reps were given time off the phone to work together on fun craft projects like making photo frames for their desks.
Fear Factor in the Service Center
Television programs have inspired many Customer Service
Week celebrations, and this year was no different. CNA Surety took their contest to the limit
with some gross-out fun.
Each year the service team prepares an IT Management
Challenge for their CIO and directors. This year’s challenge
was based on the TV show Fear Factor.
The show pits contestants against each other in a series
of challenges. Typically this involves two physical and
one mental challenge in which the contestant must do
something frightening or gross.
For the CNA version, the management team participated
in a physical challenge (Wii boxing); a tactile challenge,
in which they put their hands into boxes full of Jell-O
and pudding and tried to identify buried computer parts;
and a mental challenge in which the contestants
had to eat yellow Jell-O from a bed pan as quickly as
possible.
Fortunately, Deb Anderson reports that everyone on the
management team is a good sport and a fierce competitor, and that they are already buzzing about next year.
Pumpkin decorating and more
The team at Demag Cranes & Components has been celebrating Customer Service Week for nine years. And the celebration just keeps getting better.
In a week packed with events and activities designed to appeal to everyone, two activities are real standouts: The Pumpkin Decorating Contest and the Customer Photo Match Contest.
The company-wide pumpkin decorating contest provided an opportunity for each department to show its creative side and for people to get to know each other as they
viewed the entries.
Entries ranged from an all blue "pumpkin chain hoist" from the material handling group, to a pumpkin with wire looms and LED eyes from the electrical engineering group, to a pumpkin featuring a photograph of eyes on a PDA from the IT group.
Complete contest rules are available here.
The Customer Photo Match Contest asked reps to match the names of key customers with their photos. Product Manager, Tricia Ater, tells us that she was “pleasantly surprised with how much customers enjoyed being asked for their photos. Many of them commented jokingly that we would use them for a dart board.”
But in all seriousness, she adds: “They said it was the first time a supplier had ever asked them for a [photo] and they couldn't wait to hear how it all turned out.”
Typically the photos showed customers out of the office enjoying their hobbies, families and pets. The photos provided an opportunity for reps to see their customers in a new, and much more personal, light.
Cash Cab and the King and Queen of Service
Throughout the week, reps at Kansas City Life Insurance Company, participated in a daily puzzle or contest. They also enjoyed one large scale game, based on the Discovery Channel hit, "Cash Cab."
On the program, unsuspecting New Yorkers hail a taxicab only to discover that they have entered a game show and can win cash for answering the driver's questions correctly.
In the Kansas City Life version, reps were asked to report to the front door of the building at designated times throughout the day. Awaiting them was a manager's car decorated with play money. After the reps piled in and the rules were explained, the car took off on laps around the parking lot. Reps responded to a range of questions receiving play money for correct answers. However, after three incorrect answers, the ride was abruptly over, reps exited the car, and walked back to the office.
Participants in the daily puzzles and contests also received play money. The money could be used to buy raffle tickets for daily prize giveaways or to vote for the king and queen of service.
To enter the competition each rep simply hung a colorfully decorated brown paper bag outside of his or her cubicle. During the week reps cast their votes by filling the bags with play money. Reps could drop out of the competition, at any point, and either buy raffle tickets or support another rep. According to the organizers, "the campaigning was furious" by Friday when the king and queen were finally crowned.
Crab races and more
When ODW Logistics celebrates Customer Service Week, they have to overcome a few obstacles. Two of the most significant being that there are 300+ people celebrating and they work in seven different buildings at the Columbus, OH, campus.
Nevertheless, they put together a number of activities that everyone could participate in and scheduled them carefully throughout the week.
In addition, the entire company got together for a tailgate party on Friday. As the culmination of the week this was the time to vote for customer service rep and warehouse person of the year and for winners of the various challenges to receive their prizes.
Four of the featured challenges were:
- Crab races — Hermit crabs and their handlers competed in a fast-paced battle of speed and skill.
- People poker — Each person received one card per day. Hands were compared throughout the week and winners announced at the tailgate party. If my math is right, there were a total of 28 decks of cards required for this one massive game of poker.
- Walk your way to wellness — Prizes were awarded to employees who logged the most miles during the week.
- Announcement (word) bingo — Prizes were awarded to employees who completed their bingo cards during senior management's weekly companywide address. Now that's one way to get everyone's attention.
Back to top
Cake decorating contest highlights communication skills
There are several activities that people love and that are incorporated into many celebrations. With a little creativity, you can make those activities uniquely yours.
The team at the CBK celebrated with a different activity each day including a creative dress-up day and a skill-building cake-decorating contest.
To kick-off the week reps were asked to dress as what they wanted to be when they grew up. You can just imagine a call center filled with ballerinas and princesses, firefighters and football players.
Next the team competed in a cake-decorating contest. The staff was divided into teams of two. Each team received a sheet cake, and an assortment of frostings. They were challenged to create a theme cake for the week.
More than just a decorating contest, this was also a communication building exercise. After the reps briefly discussed how to decorate their cakes, one rep left the room while the other worked. After several minutes the reps switched places. It was up to the second rep to complete the cake based only on their conversation and the work that had already been done.
If this team is as good at communicating with customers as they are at decorating cakes, there should be very little mis-communication at CBK.
Back to top
Game show is big winner
A fun-filled afternoon playing the game-show favorite
Jeopardy! was the highlight of a very full Customer
Service Week at Sunoco Chemicals.
The questions were developed based on the company’s
customer service practices and provided a fun and
engaging way for reps to show off their skills and
job knowledge.
Jeopardy! is also a great game to incorporate into your
team meetings and teambuilding activities throughout
the year.
So how exactly does Jeopardy! Work?
The game consists of a series of questions, which are
asked in the reverse of the standard quiz format. Three
contestants are given the answer and vie to be the first
to come up with the correct question.
In the game show there are two main rounds, each with
five answers of different prize amounts and difficulties
in six different categories. The beauty of this game
is that it can be easily scaled up or down to meet
your needs.
Answers and the questions might include procedures
specific to your organization or general service guidelines
like these:
A: Are you able to hold?
Q: What should you say before placing a caller on hold?
A: To expel or relieve one’s emotions
Q: What is to vent?
A: Smile
Q: What do you do before picking up the phone?
In addition to playing Jeopardy!, the team started the
week with a kickoff breakfast with their management
team and internal customers. They also created a movie
from photos of their teambuilding events throughout the
year, enjoyed daily giveaways and snacks, played puzzles
and games, and capped off the week with 15-minute
chair massages.
Back to top
Prizes and raffles 
There was a lot going on at Ashland Canada during Customer Service Week. But one activity really caught our attention because it ran through the entire week culminating in a prize drawing.
Throughout the week, the service team participated in a variety of games and activities. Each participant or winner was rewarded with Monopoly Money. For example:
- Every half-hour a question from Trivial Pursuit was emailed to all reps. The first person to reply with the correct answer received $1 in Monopoly Money.
- At lunch, teams competed to complete two jigsaw puzzles. Each player on the fastest team received $2 in Monopoly Money.
- Reps also received Monopoly Money for Thank-You notes sent to customers and for letters of appreciation received from customers.
The funny money fun wasn’t over until Friday when reps redeemed their money for raffle tickets and the chance to win one of several prizes. The more money they earned, the greater the chances of winning.
In addition, the team celebrated with a kick-off Breakfast of Champions at which each employee received a Thank-You card signed by his or her manager and a Customer Service Week t-shirt.
Reps also shared a meal with internal customers. Each rep was asked to invite one internal customer to have lunch on site. It proved to be a nice opportunity for reps to meet face to face with the people they work with on a daily basis but seldom have time to get to know.
Back to top
Post Sports Day scores online 
Friday was sports day at Advanced Health Media (AHM) where lots of individual sports themed activities added up to a fun-filled day.
Some events were held indoors with limited room for fans while others, such as the three-legged race and dizzy bat race, were held outside. Reps were encouraged to attend the outdoor events to cheer their coworkers on. To keep everyone involved in all of the activities, up to the minute results were posted on a scoreboard at the AHM website.
Adding to the fun, “vendors” made their way through the office during the “7th Inning Stretch” tossing snacks to the spectators.
And what would a sport day be without reps coming to work dressed in gear for their favorite team.
Finally, reps were able to win tickets to Giants or Jets games. Working with the AHM vending machine contact, special stickers were placed on one item in each of two vending machines. The lucky person to receive a sticker won the tickets.
Back to top
Building challenge and more 
Everyone loves to play games during Customer Service Week. And why not? When we play together and laugh together we build strong bonds that last all year long.
The customer service team at Nunhems USA created wonderful teambuilding games for each day of the week, leading up to an awards ceremony on Friday. Here’s how they played:
Monday was the “Customer Service Challenge.”
This challenge is based on the children’s game Telephone and provides an important lesson on the importance of two-way communication.
Teams of five lined up. The first player was given instructions for a product order. The instructions were passed down the line from person to person until the last player assembled the order from the materials provided. The team to correctly assemble the order in the least amount of time was the winner.
Tuesday saw a “Good Ol’ Fashioned Tug of War.”
The entire staff was invited to flex their muscles in what was described as “a healthy competition with not so healthy desserts.”
Wednesday brought “The Amazing Race.”
Based on the popular reality television show, teams followed clues throughout the building to collect and assemble puzzle pieces. Click here for details on another celebration featuring an “Amazing Race” event.
Thursday was the “Building Bridges” challenge.
This event tied in with the 2006 Customer Service Week theme “Building Bridges to Customers.” To reinforce interdepartmental teamwork, teams were made up of
staff from several departments that work together and support each other.
Teams were given boxes of spaghetti and bags of marshmallows to build their bridges. Some of their impressive creations are shown above.
Friday brought the “Company Social.”
Lunch was served, prizes were awarded to all of the contest winners, and the special Standing Ovation award was presented. This award is given to someone outside
of the customer service department who manager Vicki Avina tells us, “doesn’t necessarily have direct contact with the customer but makes outstanding efforts to create positive experiences for those they come in contact with and truly demonstrates the service culture we’re trying to build.”
Back to top
Get to know coworkers with games
The simple but effective Customer Service Week celebration at Aetrex Worldwide was created to help reps get to know each other better and to keep spirits high during a stressful companywide software conversion.
The following four activities could easily be incorporated into a larger celebration as well.
• Aetrex Hold ’Em — With the current popularity of poker this activity can’t miss. Every day, each rep chooses one playing card from the deck. By the end of the week, each rep has a five-card poker hand. Each hand is taped to a large piece of poster board and the rep with the best hand wins.
Not a poker player? Just click here to learn the rules. |
|
• Guess Who — In this classic Customer Service Week activity, each team member brings in a baby picture and reps try to match the bouncing babies with their coworkers.
• Middle Name Game — Reps compete to see how many of their teammates’ middle names they know.
• CSR Trivia — Reps are asked to answer 10 questions about their teammates. These include questions such as, “How many team members have pets?” and “Who has the longest commute?”
Finally, after getting to know each other a little better, the team celebrated the week with a pizza party and thank-you gifts.
Back to top
Get everyone involved with Survivor
At Manchester Tank’s corporate headquarters the entire staff participated in a week of teambuilding activities based on the popular television series “Survivor.”
Shelia Lindsay, who organized the week, describes it as their “most successful celebration.” Here's why:
On Monday morning each employee received a bandanna, which indicated which of three interdepartmental “tribes” they belonged to. Team captains were assigned when three vice presidents drew “tiki” cups from a box.
Throughout the week, the tribes competed in teambuilding challenges. Points were won for successfully completing the challenges and for each of the following:
• Most original tribe name
• Most team spirit
• Most participation
• Best mascot, and more.
Tribes could also lose points. For example, a team member not wearing his or her bandanna cost the tribe one point, and being late to a tribal council meant the loss of 10 points.
A typical teambuilding challenge was made up of several tasks, each of which had to be completed by a single team member. Wednesday's challenge included:
• One task that required strength
• One task that required agility
• One task that required dexterity
• The remaining tasks were trivia questions in the categories of history, geography, entertainment, general knowledge, and sports.
On Friday, the tribes assembled for a final “tribal meeting.” Each member was asked to say something he or she had learned about another tribe member. Shelia reports that, “considering we have worked together for years, it was very eye opening to hear comments like, ‘I didn't know she was so dedicated, creative, smart, knew so much about our customers, our products, had a great sense of humor, had great team building skills, and so forth.’”
Back to top
If you’d like to share your agenda and photographs, please send them to CS Week Relationship Manager, Mary Dalessandro. You may email them to mdalessandro@CSWeek.com or send them through the mail to Customer Service Group, 712 Main Street — Suite 187B, Boonton, NJ 07005.
Host Festive Activities
Connect with Coworkers
Connect with Customers
Focus on Training
Home | Products | Tools | Publications | Contact Us | Sitemap
© 2010 Alexander Communications Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Customer Service Group
712 Main Street — Suite 187B, Boonton, NJ 07005
Telephone: (973) 265-2300, Fax: (973) 402-6056
Website: www.CSWeek.com
Email: info@CSWeek.com
Terms of Use — Privacy Policy
| 
