VWorks Customer Service Week Oct 27 – Oct 31, 2003
Theme: Survivor
Traditionally I look forward to Customer Service week. The company usually caters some breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for our department that week. It usually gives out small souvenirs, such as cups or pens with the company logo or some official customer service slogan on them, and arranges a few games for us to play that can be dropped in on at any time during breaks. The call center I work in is always busy, and it’s not realistic for any of us to be expected to leave their desk at some designated time.
This company now has about 150 employees. It has both grown and had a tremendous amount of turn-over in the course of the last year or so. This year a new administrator decided that it wouldn’t be fair to limit customer service week to just the customer service department, and that the entire company should be included this time. A team of 10 people, mostly managers, met to discuss how the small “customer service week” budget could be used to cover all employees. They apparently decided that it would somehow increase morale and cooperation, if we adapted the them of the tv reality show “Survivor,”. Having never actually watched Survivor, isn’t it about people who alienate and sabotage each other.? We were randomly divided in to 8 “tribes” of about 12 people each. Each Tribe is named after one of the software products that our larger corporation sells and supports.
A paragraph from the original memo reads:
“The Senior Executive team along with the planning Committee that has been assembled, has determined that we will recognize this event as “VWorks Employee Appreciation Week” because of the significant contributions of all of our employees…”
Monday Day 1
12 of us were called away from our desks for 30 minutes, during an appointed time that happened to be during ½ of my lunch hour. I recognized 4 of them, .including one I knew from a previous office but had just been hired here last week.
The manager of my own department, and a woman I had never seen before, but later turned out to be a new manager in another department addressed us. The stranger never introduced herself to us, I only found out who she was, later. They both handed us a brown paper bag with one bag of chips, a juice box, a bite-sized Snickers bar, a small packet of cookies, and a Halloween toy, mine was a plastic pumpkin ring. That was the “treat” advertised in the email telling us what time to meet.
The stranger handed out string, plastic beads, and a small box of dry ring-o-noodles. We were told that all the other tribes were being given the same kind of beads, but different kind of macaroni shells. All week, our tribe MUST WEAR the necklaces we were making. And if at any time a member of this planning committee saw any of us not wearing our necklace from the beginning of our scheduled start-time to the time we’re scheduled to leave, then our tribe would loose 5 points. Even if it during our break or lunch. Even if we leave the building during lunch and they see us there.
The mostly-managerial organizers of the event are wearing elaborate necklaces made of twine and real sea-shells.
The managers told us we have to choose a tribal leader. She did not say what function the tribal leader would serve, just that we had to select one. Few of us there knew each other at all. One lady there who knew only two people in the room, suggested one of them, and she declined. Then she suggested me, and I agreed. I assure you I agreed out of a sense of sick fascination.
The stranger then turned the page on our agenda to page 2 and announced that one day this week will include a pie-throwing contest, I quote from the agenda:
“Your tribe has now determined a Tribal Leader, its time to show your appreciation. Your Tribe Leader will be placed as a human target; three members of your Tribe will be give (sic) three pies. The goal –RIGHT IN THE FACE. Closer you get to the Target, the more pts are given.”
The lady who suggested me apologized to me as soon as the stranger read us this part.
Earlier that morning, a co-worker and I had noticed that the refrigerator in the break room is full of cans of Redi-Whip. We remarked on it, and hoped that meant we were going to have an ice cream social some time this week, but now we know why all those cans of whipped cream were in there. I knew immediately that me getting a pie in the face because I volunteered to take on a mystery project, and our company is broke, yet still in need of amusement is both fitting and symbolic. I intend to get pictures of it, to motivate me in my future job search.
I should probably add, at this point, that the reason our company doesn’t have money for things like employee events, significant raises, or even product development, is because last summer our board of directors voted to give executive bonuses to the executives anyway, even though as a company we only met 80% of our sales goals. Most of the board of directors is made up of executives of our company. So essentially they voted themselves raises. One of the recipients of that bonus informed us during an all employee meeting at that time, that we had to compensate those executives, to keep their salaries competitive so we don’t loose them. When asked at that same meeting, why non-executive wages were not determined that same way, he explained that that’s why all those dot-coms went out of business, and all those people got laid off, that’s why.
My first E-mail to the tribe, as Tribal Leader:
Good Morning All,
This email includes the names & email addresses of all the members of our Customer service week Advantage Tribe. Saving this email will allow us to "reply - all" & email everyone at once, at any time.
My name is Kathy W and I was named Tribal leader at this meeting. I have worked for VWorks for over 6 years, in the client support department, and had 8 years of medical business office experience before that.
We met at 11:30 in training room 118, absent were Jean H and Kevin G. I have delivered necklce-makings to Jean & talked to her in person, but have had to leave those items for Kevin G on his desk as he is not in the office.
Linda M and Chris B handed us all some string , and some plastic beads and small macaroni shells with which to make necklaces. Once half way through making these necklaces, Chris B informed us that we must also somehow incorporate the name of our tribe "ADVANTAGE" in to this necklace, but that we would be allowed to add some outside element to the necklaces to do so, as long as we were consistant. I have at my desk some blue cards with the word "ADVANTAGE" on them, and some paper clips. Some of us have already added our name-cards to our necklaces. If you haven't, please stop by my desk in client-support and I will give you one of these cards to add to your necklace.
Chris B informed us all that if she or Linda M or any other of the organizers of this event see us at any location during our regularly scheduled hours , without this necklace on, the team looses 5 points, so please create and wear your tribe necklace by tomorrow morning, as that is the start-time of the necklace-wearing event.
Kathy W
Another “game” coming up is going to be called “email tag.”
Description: A time has been designated for your Tribe by the Tribe Counsel Host. An email will be sent to your Tribe Leader, this will indicate the start of the game. It is the responsibility of the Tribe Leader to send an email out to one member of the Tribe; in turn that member must send an email out to a different member of the Tribe. The goal is to get all members of the Tribe to respond in the fastest timely manner. Once you have “collected” as many members of the Tribe as possible, it will be the responsibility of the last member to send an email off (sic) the Tribe Leader. The Tribe Leader than will email Dan M This will indicate your Tribe has completed the challenge.
BONUS- When distributing your emails amongst your Tribe, if you include a sentence that indicates a fact about your Product/Service, your Tribe will receive an additional 3 bonus Pts.
My second email to the Tribe:
Good Afternoon All,
Amy C has suggested a good strategy to plan ahead of time.
When it comes time for E-mail tag, lets create a list of in which order each of us should forward the email!
So it'll start with me
When I get it, I'll send it to Tawny A
Tawny sends it to Chris B
Chris sends it to Amy C
Amy sends it to Michelle D
Michelle sends it to Sharon G
Sharon sends it to Jean H
Jean sends it to Sharon J
Sharon sends it to Paul K
Paul sends it to Pat S
Pat sends it to Vonda D
Vonda sends it to Kevin G
Kevin sends it to Doris H
Doris you send it to Kathy W (me)
and I'll send it to Dan M
Here are some things to keep in mind, check the settings on your email to see how often your mail "receives" and displays new messages, because traditionally mine is set = 10 minutes. I'll alter it to 1 minute for the duration of the week and you should all do the same.
We should phone-call or instant message the next person before you send them your email to verify they're even at their desk. If not, then send it to the next person on the list instead because the rules state the winning tribe will be the one with "as many members of the tribe as possible" so it's still possible to win without all of us.
Also I just read that we get 3 bonus points when including a fact about the Advantage product in our email. So far here is the only fact I know about Advantage: ADVANAGE IS A VERY POORLY DOCUMENTED PRODUCT! I may very well put that..but if I come up with any other actual facts I'll include them. Does any one else have any information about Advantage that would be helpful? Does it run on AS400 or unix ? Is it written in cobol? Is there anything unique or interesting about it?
Kathy W
I spent most of Monday afternoon, after our 30 minute meeting, doing the below, instead of taking calls from customers and answering their questions, thus providing actual customer service:
Sending and receiving emails from my “Tribe” memebers.
Passing out beads, string, and macaroni noodles to those who were not able to make it to the meeting.
Passing out blue file-folder-labels and paper clips.
Explaining how to set ones email settings to send-and-receive every 1 minute.
Email from
Day 2
I receive this email from our HR director, who is in my Tribe:
Good Plan, Amy.
There is one team with 60 points- and four of us tied for second place with 55 points. Go Team Go!
Advantage Product: Company purchased was named POLCI. Advantage product runson AS400. They used to be an ASP model like BOS where customers could call
in and use software that was stored on-site in Saginaw. Programming language is Synon.
Another worthless trivia tidbit: the furniture in Executive Director Tom H office came from the POLCI office. jh
Jean H
That email reminded me that the product our team was named after is no longer being sold, and there is only one person in the whole company that still knows enough about it to take phone calls from users, and she does not work in our office. The reason their old furniture is now in our executive director’s office is because our larger corporation bought them, laid off their staff, and is now retiring their product.
At 8:15 am I received this email
Dear Tribal Leaders –
Please bring your ‘Tribal Necklace’ to Dan M before 9:00 a.m. this morning. Dan will return your necklace after the Tribal Council voting has been completed. During the time from 8:30 – 10:00; Tribal Leaders will have ‘immunity’ and cannot lose points for not wearing their necklace.
Thank you,
Jen B
No one has told me about any kind of judging, but I just had to ask my own manager who is Dan M and where does he sit (I’ve never met him) and handed him my plastic bead and macaroni necklace.
I’m hearing a lot of complaining, as I walk around, that the coarse necklace strings are scratching up the backs of peoples’ necks. One of my closest co-workers has put tape along the back of his to protect his neck from the twine. I just heard some other appointed Tribe leader ask my manager, who is Dan M and where does he sit?
Sandy C just returned all our Tribe Leader necklaces. My 2 closest co workers are also the leaders of their respective tribes. When Sandy returned out necklaces I asked her what they were collected for in the first place. She said they were judged for creativity. I told her no one told us our plastic-bead-and-macaroni-shell necklaces were going to be judged for points. She didn’t care.
Email at noon:
Today’s Activities:
1:00 – Popcorn and Cider will be available in the Breakroom
1:00 – 2:00 Bean Bag Throwing Contest
2:30 – Whip Cream Pie Throwing Contest
Theme: Survivor
Traditionally I look forward to Customer Service week. The company usually caters some breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for our department that week. It usually gives out small souvenirs, such as cups or pens with the company logo or some official customer service slogan on them, and arranges a few games for us to play that can be dropped in on at any time during breaks. The call center I work in is always busy, and it’s not realistic for any of us to be expected to leave their desk at some designated time.
This company now has about 150 employees. It has both grown and had a tremendous amount of turn-over in the course of the last year or so. This year a new administrator decided that it wouldn’t be fair to limit customer service week to just the customer service department, and that the entire company should be included this time. A team of 10 people, mostly managers, met to discuss how the small “customer service week” budget could be used to cover all employees. They apparently decided that it would somehow increase morale and cooperation, if we adapted the them of the tv reality show “Survivor,”. Having never actually watched Survivor, isn’t it about people who alienate and sabotage each other.? We were randomly divided in to 8 “tribes” of about 12 people each. Each Tribe is named after one of the software products that our larger corporation sells and supports.
A paragraph from the original memo reads:
“The Senior Executive team along with the planning Committee that has been assembled, has determined that we will recognize this event as “VWorks Employee Appreciation Week” because of the significant contributions of all of our employees…”
Monday Day 1
12 of us were called away from our desks for 30 minutes, during an appointed time that happened to be during ½ of my lunch hour. I recognized 4 of them, .including one I knew from a previous office but had just been hired here last week.
The manager of my own department, and a woman I had never seen before, but later turned out to be a new manager in another department addressed us. The stranger never introduced herself to us, I only found out who she was, later. They both handed us a brown paper bag with one bag of chips, a juice box, a bite-sized Snickers bar, a small packet of cookies, and a Halloween toy, mine was a plastic pumpkin ring. That was the “treat” advertised in the email telling us what time to meet.
The stranger handed out string, plastic beads, and a small box of dry ring-o-noodles. We were told that all the other tribes were being given the same kind of beads, but different kind of macaroni shells. All week, our tribe MUST WEAR the necklaces we were making. And if at any time a member of this planning committee saw any of us not wearing our necklace from the beginning of our scheduled start-time to the time we’re scheduled to leave, then our tribe would loose 5 points. Even if it during our break or lunch. Even if we leave the building during lunch and they see us there.
The mostly-managerial organizers of the event are wearing elaborate necklaces made of twine and real sea-shells.
The managers told us we have to choose a tribal leader. She did not say what function the tribal leader would serve, just that we had to select one. Few of us there knew each other at all. One lady there who knew only two people in the room, suggested one of them, and she declined. Then she suggested me, and I agreed. I assure you I agreed out of a sense of sick fascination.
The stranger then turned the page on our agenda to page 2 and announced that one day this week will include a pie-throwing contest, I quote from the agenda:
“Your tribe has now determined a Tribal Leader, its time to show your appreciation. Your Tribe Leader will be placed as a human target; three members of your Tribe will be give (sic) three pies. The goal –RIGHT IN THE FACE. Closer you get to the Target, the more pts are given.”
The lady who suggested me apologized to me as soon as the stranger read us this part.
Earlier that morning, a co-worker and I had noticed that the refrigerator in the break room is full of cans of Redi-Whip. We remarked on it, and hoped that meant we were going to have an ice cream social some time this week, but now we know why all those cans of whipped cream were in there. I knew immediately that me getting a pie in the face because I volunteered to take on a mystery project, and our company is broke, yet still in need of amusement is both fitting and symbolic. I intend to get pictures of it, to motivate me in my future job search.
I should probably add, at this point, that the reason our company doesn’t have money for things like employee events, significant raises, or even product development, is because last summer our board of directors voted to give executive bonuses to the executives anyway, even though as a company we only met 80% of our sales goals. Most of the board of directors is made up of executives of our company. So essentially they voted themselves raises. One of the recipients of that bonus informed us during an all employee meeting at that time, that we had to compensate those executives, to keep their salaries competitive so we don’t loose them. When asked at that same meeting, why non-executive wages were not determined that same way, he explained that that’s why all those dot-coms went out of business, and all those people got laid off, that’s why.
My first E-mail to the tribe, as Tribal Leader:
Good Morning All,
This email includes the names & email addresses of all the members of our Customer service week Advantage Tribe. Saving this email will allow us to "reply - all" & email everyone at once, at any time.
My name is Kathy W and I was named Tribal leader at this meeting. I have worked for VWorks for over 6 years, in the client support department, and had 8 years of medical business office experience before that.
We met at 11:30 in training room 118, absent were Jean H and Kevin G. I have delivered necklce-makings to Jean & talked to her in person, but have had to leave those items for Kevin G on his desk as he is not in the office.
Linda M and Chris B handed us all some string , and some plastic beads and small macaroni shells with which to make necklaces. Once half way through making these necklaces, Chris B informed us that we must also somehow incorporate the name of our tribe "ADVANTAGE" in to this necklace, but that we would be allowed to add some outside element to the necklaces to do so, as long as we were consistant. I have at my desk some blue cards with the word "ADVANTAGE" on them, and some paper clips. Some of us have already added our name-cards to our necklaces. If you haven't, please stop by my desk in client-support and I will give you one of these cards to add to your necklace.
Chris B informed us all that if she or Linda M or any other of the organizers of this event see us at any location during our regularly scheduled hours , without this necklace on, the team looses 5 points, so please create and wear your tribe necklace by tomorrow morning, as that is the start-time of the necklace-wearing event.
Kathy W
Another “game” coming up is going to be called “email tag.”
Description: A time has been designated for your Tribe by the Tribe Counsel Host. An email will be sent to your Tribe Leader, this will indicate the start of the game. It is the responsibility of the Tribe Leader to send an email out to one member of the Tribe; in turn that member must send an email out to a different member of the Tribe. The goal is to get all members of the Tribe to respond in the fastest timely manner. Once you have “collected” as many members of the Tribe as possible, it will be the responsibility of the last member to send an email off (sic) the Tribe Leader. The Tribe Leader than will email Dan M This will indicate your Tribe has completed the challenge.
BONUS- When distributing your emails amongst your Tribe, if you include a sentence that indicates a fact about your Product/Service, your Tribe will receive an additional 3 bonus Pts.
My second email to the Tribe:
Good Afternoon All,
Amy C has suggested a good strategy to plan ahead of time.
When it comes time for E-mail tag, lets create a list of in which order each of us should forward the email!
So it'll start with me
When I get it, I'll send it to Tawny A
Tawny sends it to Chris B
Chris sends it to Amy C
Amy sends it to Michelle D
Michelle sends it to Sharon G
Sharon sends it to Jean H
Jean sends it to Sharon J
Sharon sends it to Paul K
Paul sends it to Pat S
Pat sends it to Vonda D
Vonda sends it to Kevin G
Kevin sends it to Doris H
Doris you send it to Kathy W (me)
and I'll send it to Dan M
Here are some things to keep in mind, check the settings on your email to see how often your mail "receives" and displays new messages, because traditionally mine is set = 10 minutes. I'll alter it to 1 minute for the duration of the week and you should all do the same.
We should phone-call or instant message the next person before you send them your email to verify they're even at their desk. If not, then send it to the next person on the list instead because the rules state the winning tribe will be the one with "as many members of the tribe as possible" so it's still possible to win without all of us.
Also I just read that we get 3 bonus points when including a fact about the Advantage product in our email. So far here is the only fact I know about Advantage: ADVANAGE IS A VERY POORLY DOCUMENTED PRODUCT! I may very well put that..but if I come up with any other actual facts I'll include them. Does any one else have any information about Advantage that would be helpful? Does it run on AS400 or unix ? Is it written in cobol? Is there anything unique or interesting about it?
Kathy W
I spent most of Monday afternoon, after our 30 minute meeting, doing the below, instead of taking calls from customers and answering their questions, thus providing actual customer service:
Sending and receiving emails from my “Tribe” memebers.
Passing out beads, string, and macaroni noodles to those who were not able to make it to the meeting.
Passing out blue file-folder-labels and paper clips.
Explaining how to set ones email settings to send-and-receive every 1 minute.
Email from
Day 2
I receive this email from our HR director, who is in my Tribe:
Good Plan, Amy.
There is one team with 60 points- and four of us tied for second place with 55 points. Go Team Go!
Advantage Product: Company purchased was named POLCI. Advantage product runson AS400. They used to be an ASP model like BOS where customers could call
in and use software that was stored on-site in Saginaw. Programming language is Synon.
Another worthless trivia tidbit: the furniture in Executive Director Tom H office came from the POLCI office. jh
Jean H
That email reminded me that the product our team was named after is no longer being sold, and there is only one person in the whole company that still knows enough about it to take phone calls from users, and she does not work in our office. The reason their old furniture is now in our executive director’s office is because our larger corporation bought them, laid off their staff, and is now retiring their product.
At 8:15 am I received this email
Dear Tribal Leaders –
Please bring your ‘Tribal Necklace’ to Dan M before 9:00 a.m. this morning. Dan will return your necklace after the Tribal Council voting has been completed. During the time from 8:30 – 10:00; Tribal Leaders will have ‘immunity’ and cannot lose points for not wearing their necklace.
Thank you,
Jen B
No one has told me about any kind of judging, but I just had to ask my own manager who is Dan M and where does he sit (I’ve never met him) and handed him my plastic bead and macaroni necklace.
I’m hearing a lot of complaining, as I walk around, that the coarse necklace strings are scratching up the backs of peoples’ necks. One of my closest co-workers has put tape along the back of his to protect his neck from the twine. I just heard some other appointed Tribe leader ask my manager, who is Dan M and where does he sit?
Sandy C just returned all our Tribe Leader necklaces. My 2 closest co workers are also the leaders of their respective tribes. When Sandy returned out necklaces I asked her what they were collected for in the first place. She said they were judged for creativity. I told her no one told us our plastic-bead-and-macaroni-shell necklaces were going to be judged for points. She didn’t care.
Email at noon:
Today’s Activities:
1:00 – Popcorn and Cider will be available in the Breakroom
1:00 – 2:00 Bean Bag Throwing Contest
2:30 – Whip Cream Pie Throwing Contest
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