UJET
CAPECOD FIVE
CONSUMER CONNECTION AMERICAS
SOCIAL LENS RESEARCH
FROM THE TRENCHES
UJET
Customer Service Week is a chance to recognize frontline teams— but the most lasting impact comes when leaders use it as a launchpad for change.
Here are three practices we’ ve seen make the difference:
1. Turn celebrations into listening posts. Use the week to ask agents what slows them down— whether it’ s too many clicks, repetitive escalations, or missing context.
2. Ship quick wins fast. Even small fixes, like simplifying an IVR menu or retiring outdated macros, show that leadership is listening and acting.
3. Institutionalize the ritual. Don’ t let it stop Friday at 5 PM. Carry forward a monthly“ agent friction fix” forum or spotlight series, so the ideas keep flowing.
When agents see their feedback directly shaping processes, morale and performance lift long after the balloons come down.
The best way to celebrate service professionals isn’ t just with cake or swag— it’ s by removing friction from their jobs so they can do what they do best: deliver great experiences.
HOLLY BARKER
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING
CAPECOD FIVE
Last year the Cape Cod 5 celebrated our Customer Service Specialists with daily treats, games, gifts and even a half day off the phones for lunch, team building and training.
While all of that was appreciated, the gesture that left the biggest impact was our Thank You Appreciation Board.
We invited colleagues from other departments that the Customer Service Center supports to send in short notes of gratitude for the team or individuals. The messages poured in, lifting spirits and highlighting just how valued our agents are across the organization. In fact, when I recently considered taking the board down, the agents asked that it stay. They shared that on tough days, those notes remind them that the work they do matters and how much of a difference they make.
DENISE JONES
CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER MANAGER
CONSUMER CONNECTION AMERICAS
Here are some celebration tactics we ' ve done in the past that stood out the most or drove the most engagement.
Note, we are a fully remote organization, and a team of approximately 100 agents-
• We made a video with several members from our leadership team( e. g., brand marketing, product, etc.) expressing their gratitude for the great work the CS team does and how impactful they are in creating great consumer experiences and brand loyalty, and posted it on our Workplace tool, which is accessible by everyone in the organization.
• We wrote handwritten thank you notes expressing our appreciation for all the work they do and included a gift card for coffee / tea.
• We posted online contests( using Workplace), where the team could post pics of themselves- this drove a lot of interest.
• During tough Octobers where the timing was not ideal to celebrate, we rescheduled the festivities to December and turned it into a week of holiday + CS celebration.
I am looking forward to reading about what other teams are doing to keep this big event alive!
GINA MARCHESE
LIXIL( AMERICAN STANDARD, GROHE, DXV) LEADER
SOCIAL LENS RESEARCH
One of the most impactful activities we held during a recent Customer Service Week was something I called“ Be Your Own Cheerleader!”
Too often, we don’ t pause to recognize our own great work. This activity gave agents the chance to reflect on and celebrate their accomplishments. Using a fun template, each agent identified one achievement they were especially proud of and explained why. It could be anything: diffusing an angry caller, helping a teammate, taking advantage of a coaching opportunity— any moment that felt meaningful to them.
We collected these responses and displayed them around the center so everyone could see the incredible examples of self-recognition. The teams really enjoyed celebrating one another, and leadership was able to use these stories to highlight, recognize, and reward outstanding contributions.
This simple exercise created a lasting impact by reinforcing a culture of pride, positivity, and recognition.
CRYSTAL COLLIER
EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT, PTP
OCTOBER 2025 11