| Humor at Work |
ISSUE 672- Mar. 29, 2017 |
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Banking on a Little Fun |
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What if, instead of laughing all the way to the bank, you actually laughed at the bank as well?
The Western U.S. Bank Umpqua is known for its amazing culture, fun, and extraordinary commitment to customer service, which perhaps justifies the confident way they answer their phones: "Thank-you for calling Umpqua, the world's greatest bank." Here are just a few things Umpqua does to stand out:
- They actively seek out ways to be "un-bank like" (a great exercise for any business to engage in).
- They "hire for the smile"- focusing on personality traits instead of technical skills.
- They begin each day at each store (they refer to branches as "stores" to stress the importance of creating a welcoming retail experience) with a team Motivational Moment which could include speed checkers, a trivia game, inspirational reading, or a spirited game of marshmallow dodge ball.
- Stores have funds to help them connect to their community in a fun way. Some stores screen films, some periodically provide sandwich or ice cream trucks for customers, while others might have events that involve their customers' dogs. One store has a counter just inside the main doors that is rented to various local merchants on a revolving basis. Unused space in stores is often put to creative use such as displaying local artwork, hosting yoga classes, or group stitching
sessions.
- They strive to surprise customers in unexpected ways. Tellers might hand out a chocolate with each cash withdrawal, and rather than targeting potential customers with junk mail ads, one store attached small flyers to 1,700 potted plants and distributed them to potential customers' doorsteps.
If you want to make sure your customers aren't losing interest and going into withdrawal, then make sure you invest in customer service mixed with a healthy dose of fun - it really is money in the bank.
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Mike's Fun at Work Tip |
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A simple and fun way to encourage everyone to engage with each other a bit differently at work is to have everyone wear a name tag for a day reading "Ask Me About ______?". Invite employees to fill in the blank with whatever topic they want people to learn more about and/or might be of most interest to their colleagues. You can limit it to work-related topics or open it up to personal interests. It also makes an effective icebreaker at meetings or company
retreats.
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Quote of the Week |
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"Around here we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing things because we are curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." Walt Disney
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It's a Wacky World |
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April is International Customer Loyalty Month and Humor Month! And of course there's the usual assortment of offbeat theme days on the old website, including:
April 1: International Pillow Fight Day
April 3: Don't Go to Work Unless It's Fun Day
April 7: Walk to Work Day
April 11: Be Kind to Lawyers Day
April 14: International Moment of Laughter Day
April 17: Blah! Blah! Blah! Day
April 18: Stress Awareness Day
April 20: Get to Know Your Customers Day
April 21: High Five Day
April 23: Talk Like Shakespeare Day
April 25: Hug a Plumber Day
April 26: Administrative Professionals Day
April 27: Poem in Your Pocket Day
April 29: International Dance Day
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Cost-Savings to Bring Mike in to Speak
Penticton: "Need to see Mom" special on-going rate
Montreal: May 1-2
Halifax: May 17-19
Florida: July 5-11
Toronto: Sept. 7-12
New Zealand: February
20 - March 5, 2018
More Reading
Mike is quoted in the Business Insider article,
7 Signs You're Too Smart for Your Job
Humor at Work TV
Why Your Company Needs "Directors of First Impressions"
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Copyright © 2017 Humor at Work. All Rights Reserved.
mike@mikekerr.com
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