Bring Back the Fun

Lana J. Chandler
January 13, 2009 | COMMENTS

Creating a positive atmosphere motivates employees and clients,” observes Taye H. Cairnes, president of Taye H. Cairnes, Inc. in Charlotte, North Carolina. “People want to bank somewhere they think is successful. That's why we have to dress differently as bankers. Our face is part of our professional attire.”

Putting the “happy face” back on is one way of saying “this financial institution is sound.” It makes people feel safe and comfortable. “Most financial institutions are not failing. They're cutting back but not even necessarily because they're in trouble,” points out Cairnes. “They're scared of what the future may hold and because it's in the news.”

If you feel better, your clients are going to feel better. “Lightening our mood sends a positive signal to clients. It helps restore their faith in us,” says Cairnes. She offers these starting points:

• Stop making too much of this issue.
• Turn off CNN.
• Coach employees on how to respond when clients express concerns about the safety of their money, your institution, etc.
• Emphasize that clients feel the atmosphere in the branch. They sense whether it is positive or negative and that influences how secure they feel banking with you.

Unleash the Power of Fun

Fun in the workplace promotes high levels of team spirit and employee morale. Research shows that people who enjoy their work are more productive, creative, and have high levels of job satisfaction. “I love doing fun things that involve the clients,” emphasizes Cairnes. She offers these ideas:

• “Ask Sue.” Print up some posters that say “If I don't use your name at least once during the transaction, ask for Sue.” And if that happens, you give the client a Susan B. Anthony coin. “The clients love it and it helps us learn the clients' names,” Cairnes says. “Let's say the teller is given $40 worth of coins and the game lasts three week. They get to keep all the Susan B. Anthonys they don't give out.”
• Celebrate the holidays and seasons. Here are some tips: Don't limit yourself to traditional holidays like Christmas, Valentine's Day, and July 4 th . Celebrate some unusual and lesser-known holidays. For ideas, visit http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays. For example, January is Hot Tea Month. Get different kinds of tea and offer clients a sealed tea bag with every receipt. Feature a different hot tea in the Branch every week. In the springtime, give a package of seeds with each receipt for a couple of days.
• Have a contest around decorating. Give each area (i.e., tellers, loan officers) a different section of the branch to decorate. Turn it into a contest and let the clients judge.
• Recognize special milestones. A bank was celebrating its 90 th birthday. They offered a special—a $1,000 CD at 9% for 90 days. Each person could buy only one CD and only for 90 days. The bank promoted the special, however, and it was an effective way to bring in clients.
• Have a “Question of the Day.” Ask a question about trivia related to a movie, music, how people used to do things, etc. “Once you start the questions, clients will start giving you trivia questions. The goal is to have fun,” Cairnes continues. “If you answer the question correctly, you get a Hershey kiss or something small the Branch picks.” For example, in the 1940s how did people turn on the lights in their car? Or the bottle top of a Royal Crown Cola bottle had holes in it. What were the holes were for? A) To capture lighting bugs; B) To sprinkle clothes before ironing; C) To make a large salt shaker. (The answer is B.)
• Hold an Easter egg coloring contest. Have a drawing of an Easter egg. Invite each person in the branch to color an Easter egg—make participation voluntary. Or have local kids create their own Extraordinary Egg. Let clients judge.
• Discover the possibilities. Ask employees for their ideas on how to create fun, particularly anything that gets the clients involved. Check out the book 301 More Ways to Have Fun at Work by Dave Hemsath or search the web for “fun at work.”

Make Rewards Fun, Too

Mix in a good dose of fun when you create rewards and recognition, too. Try these ideas:

• Offer “snooze or cruise” rewards. Time off with pay is always a hit. With “snooze or cruise”, employees get to snooze in an hour later or cruise out an hour earlier.
• Create gift baskets that fit the person. Have each employee fill out a “template.” For example, favorite shampoo, lotion, detergent, etc. Employees are “rewarded” with a gift basket of practical items that they already use.
• Hand out “compliment cards.” Get some card stock and print cards that say things like “Great job today,” “You were my superstar,” “Glad you're on my team,” “How lucky we are to have you.”
• Bring a car wash to the branch. This is great for team rewards! Detail and wash everyone's car.
• Hire a massage chair therapist for a day. For another great team award, bring in a massage therapist with a portable chair and set it up in the lunchroom.

Lana J. Chandler is the publisher of Branch Manager's Letter. Contact her at 304-343-020 or Lana@BranchManagersLetter.com. Reprinted with permission from Branch Managers Letter.