Commentary

Coming down from a service high

Chip Bell explains why coming down from a service high is an opportunity for celebration, affirmation, consolation, and education. Each is a building block for the effective planning of the gap between remorse and readiness.

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January 3, 2019 by Chip Bell — Customer Loyalty Consultant/Author, Chip Bell Group

It happens at least annually in every retail establishment — sometimes more than once a year. The big sale, Black Friday, holiday shopping, end-of-season clearance, or a new model hype, just to name a few. Employees burn the midnight oil decorating, labeling, arranging, rearranging, restocking, and coping with customers eager snag a bargain or that perfect gift. There is no time to rest. A sizable chunk of annual revenue hangs on these big events.

Finally, the doors close and the lights are turned off after the last day of a service high. All that anticipation, adrenaline, anxiety, and extra assignments suddenly come to a full stop. And, the first day of normal is about to begin. The feelings of relief are blended with a bit a sadness. Like the day after the big wedding reception, you push aside the temptation for nostalgia and reflection to discipline yourself to get back in the groove. But, wait! You missed a step.

Coming down from a service high is an opportunity for celebration, affirmation, consolation, and education. Each is a building block for the effective planning of the gap between remorse and readiness.

Celebration: A powerful pause for reflection

Take time to look back on the highlights of the big event. Focus on rekindling the good feelings that came with "party" planning and execution. Congratulate your staff on all the successes. Have fun. Tell stories that are upbeat in their content and festive in their tone. Take photos during the event and share the ones that communicate the very best of the event. A software firm holds a large annual client conference that ends mid-day. However, all their employees who helped plan and manage the conference stay another night to join in their over-the-top celebration complete with special awards in comical categories. The highly decorated event is a "never-miss" extravaganza for employees who might otherwise close up and hurry home.

Affirmation: A spotlight for appreciation and gratitude

All big events have people who went way beyond the call of duty. This is the time to acknowledge their special contribution. Don't just compliment; be specific in the actions that warrant recognition. Stories should present vivid pictures of role models in action. Encourage colleagues to chime in with their own complimentary expressions of gratitude. Consider awards or small gifts for special actions. One retailer planned a 'bring your family' event on Saturday morning after the end of a big Black Friday sale. It enabled family members to hear the affirmations shared in appreciation since they too had made sacrifices for their loved one's late nights at work.

Consolation: Acknowledge the sorrow of loss

Many organizations build up staff for the big event only to let part-time or temporary staff go after it is over. Regardless of the fairness and wisdom of the decision, it can leave fellow employees with emotional pain. Employees often form tight bonds with people during the cauldron of an intense work environment. They suffered together in the worst of times; laughed together in the best of times. They must now deal with the absence of a friend. Acknowledge the hurt and give employees a chance to express their feelings of sadness. Affirm the value of those who left and be candid about their reasons for being no longer with the organization. Be empathetic and understanding if there is a tinge of anger in employee expressions of hurt — it is a natural part of healthy coping with emotional loss.

Education: The power of Monday morning quarterbacking

The space between grand finale and routine restarting can be a helpful time to learn. Conduct a postmortem on the big event with particular emphasis on what worked well, what did not work well, and what was learned from both. This is a perfect time to review customer feedback, emails, complaints, and reviews while they are fresh. Focus on learning, not critiquing. Explore ways to adjust based on Monday morning quarterbacking of the event. Determine what additional training might be required based on lessons learned. Invite employees to outline their personal learnings and plans for adjustment based on new insights. One retailer invited a group of loyal customers to come into the postmortem session for a period of time to share their recommendations for an even better event.

The first four parts of coming down after a big service event should inform a plan going forward. Wrap your big event adjournment with a focus on how the next event will be improved. Instead of focusing on the unit, department or organization plans, give every team member a chance to express their change plan based on these four parts.

The let-down after a big event is labeled Post-Adrenaline Blues by psychologists. It can strike after a long burst of effort for a major work project. Maybe it stems from the contrast between how we expected to feel when 'the big event' was over and how we actually feel. But, psychologist Eileen Kennedy-Moore reminds us that it is temporary. "Treat yourself (and your employees) gently — as if recovering from the flu," she writes. "Eat well. Rest. And, reach out to the people who care about you, especially if you've been neglecting those relationships lately."

No customer likes a cranky, short-tempered service provider. Coming down after a service high is not just good customer service hygiene, it equips you to serve at your very best when everything returns to being more normal.