Is Your Service Award Vendor
Taking You For A Ride?

There’s certainly no shortage of service award vendors and programs in the marketplace.  This is great news for companies looking to develop world-class service award programs, but keep in mind that not all employee recognition vendors are created equal.  The programs, service, support, and policies these vendors offer are as varied as the companies they serve.  Your vendor may have a well-known name, or they might be offering advanced wed-based administrative systems, or they may be making enticing promises, but are they really meeting your needs?

You already know the value of a good service award vendor.  And you know that your vendor can make or break your employee recognition programs.  So, is yours meeting your needs or are they taking you  – and your money – for a ride?

Are you getting the service you expected?

Not all service award vendors provide the same level of customer service.  Your vendor’s job is to provide you with the highest level of customer service – the kind that makes it possible to implement a stress-free, quality service award program.  If your vendor values your business, they should be providing you with top-notch service at all times.

Many vendors claim to offer state-of-the-art, turnkey award management programs designed to provide you with everything you need to make your service award programs easy to manage and modify.  But, when it comes right down to it, do they really offer you personal service?

Is your call answered by an automated system or are you connected immediately to a live representative?  Do you talk to a different account representative each time or is there a dedicated CSM who knows your company and your unique needs?  It can be extremely frustrating to go through several layers of customer service to reach someone who knows little about the details of your particular account.

If your vendor talks a great talk about personal and prompt service, but only allows you to communicate via web or through a phone bank, it might be time to look elsewhere.  Remember, service awards are a very personal thing that are unique to your company, so it’s not unrealistic to expect a high level of personal service from your vendor.  Look for a company that assigns you a personal CSM who knows the details of your service award program and will follow your account administration from start to finish.   Don’t put your service award program in jeopardy with shoddy service.

Are you receiving regular care and communications?

I’m constantly amazed at how many of our clients tell us that the only time they ever had contact with their previous award vendor was when they called to place an order. You should think of your vendor as an extension of your corporate family.  If they’re doing their job well, your vendor should be fostering the relationship through regular contact with you.  They should make it a point to understand your company’s culture, budget and employee recognition needs – and then cater to those needs.  If your vendor’s idea of regular care and communication involves sending you emails or an occasional automated phone call, that doesn’t really cut it.

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for how often your vendor should check in, but it should be often enough that they stay up-to-date on your company’s requirements and are keeping you posted on the newest products and services.  Just imagine how helpful it would be if your sales representative called to remind you of an upcoming anniversary or event in your company and already had suggestions for new products and services to fit the bill?  That kind of care is invaluable to the bottom line of your recognition programs.

Whether your vendor checks in with you once a week or once a month, regular contact will help forge a relationship you can trust and rely on when it’s time for that “meaningful moment” with your employees.

Are you getting surprises in your invoices?

Nothing is more aggravating to a than to settle on the perfect service awards and be quoted a particular amount, only to receive a bill with a variety of unexpected  fees and charges.  This shouldn’t happen!  Your service award vendor should be able to provide you with one simple, clean bill that includes everything: certificate, brochure, president’s letter, gift pages, order form, award, necessary administration and technology, corporate identification, etching or engraving, gift wrapping and warranties.

In addition to furnishing you with an all-inclusive, streamlined invoice, your vendor should be able to offer you a “no minimum,” pay-as-you-go policy where you are invoiced monthly for only the gift awards that are shipped to your employees.

Bottom line:  don’t settle for surprises.

Are you getting brand name products or a private label brands?

You already know the immeasurable value of a service award program:  employees that are recognized for their service have a greater tendency to remain loyal to a company. So, when it comes to something as important as a length of service award, you want to give a gift that will have a lasting impact on your employees and your program.  While there is nothing wrong with private label brands for some occasions, when it comes to length of service awards you want to show your commitment to your most valuable asset with name brand products. You never want to give an award that can be perceived as “cheap.” No matter how “quality” a private label brand may seem to be, a name brand is more meaningful to the recipient.

Many vendors tout the quality, uniqueness, and value of their private label products.  In fact, depending on the particular “level” of the award program you choose, private label products may be the only option you have.  No matter how enticing the private labels might sound, don’t let yourself be talked into products that you don’t feel comfortable with.  A vendor that really cares about your company and the image you project should be about to offer you name brand gifts and programs to fit every goal and budget.

Remember, at the end of the day your loyal employees are who your company relies on most and you want to give them a gift that they are proud of and has lasting trophy value.

Is your service provider able to respond quickly to requests for rush orders or customized items?

The ability to quickly turn around an order or to tailor a program to your company’s needs can be critical to the success of your service award program.  Corporate life is full of surprises and you never know when you might need a rush order or an unexpected customized gift.  Many companies promise “customized” service, but when it comes time to deliver, the words “rush” and “custom” just aren’t part of the everyday vernacular.  Be wary of companies that offer pre-packaged program templates that can be customized to your objectives, but are unable to offer special requests that go beyond the template.

You want to be sure that your vendor can offer a program that is unique to your company culture – and can alter the program as your circumstances change.  This includes custom awards, specialized home pages and last-minute special requests.  To ensure you receive a tailored program you can count on no matter when you need it, look for a vendor that treats special requests as “business as usual.”

If your service award vendor isn’t meeting your needs or is making promises and isn’t delivering as the you expected,  maybe it’s time to forge a relationship with a new vendor that is more in line with your unique corporate requirements and values.  You don’t have time or money to waste when it comes to your employee recognition program.  Don’t get taken for a ride.

About the Author

Randy Nobles is President of Eagle Recognition.
Eagle Recognition offers turn-key solutions for length of service award programs.