Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM NOVEMBER 2026 22 W hat motivates you? It is pride in a job well done? Is it recognition? Is it money? Most likely it's a combination of all three. If you're in a supervisory or management position, it's critical that you understand what motivates people, including your employees – and once you understand it, you must do everything in your power to provide it. Now, before you choke on your coffee and breakfast bar, you must also realize that motivation doesn't have to cost a lot of money – although it doesn't hurt to give deserving employees a monetary reward for exceeding your expectations. In fact, it can be something as simple as a front row parking spot with a sign saying "Employee of the Month." Money will get new employees through the door, but it won't keep them. Let's take a closer look at what motivates employees to go above and beyond in serving your customers and the other members of your team. Pride and praise are at the top of the list. When you recognize an employee's contribution, you're increasing their pride in who they are and what they're doing. When it comes to motivation, recognition is crucial. The recognition must be timely, specific, and sincere. It's not enough to say, "Jeff, you did a great job." Instead, say, "Jeff, you did a great job on the Craig report. It was well written, and you completed it two days early." Recognize what, exactly, he did to earn your praise. Was the report accurate? Was it on time? Be specific. Recognition is like food – employees need it every day, not just once a year. It's also important to recognize exceptional employees publicly, because it will increase their pride in their accomplishments – and it will motivate your other employees to do better and earn the same recognition. It's also highly motivating to recognize employees in front of your customers. For example, if you see an employee helping a customer, you might introduce yourself and say, "Sarah's one of our best employees – I know she'll do a great job helping you." You can motivate your employees by giving them authority to make decisions and take actions to satisfy customers who have a problem with something they purchased. Doing this shows that you respect and value your employees. When you allow and encourage your employees to make decisions without seeking approval from management, you're motivating them to do what's best for the customer – and for your company. Remove roadblocks that prevent them from providing your customers with such exceptional service that they'll continue to do business with you for years to come. Eliminate policies and programs that raise barriers to providing exceptional customer service. Then put policies in place that will give your employees some latitude in solving customer complaints. Give them clear but general guidelines so they'll have room to maneuver and think creatively. Trusting your employees also maintains morale in difficult situations and leads to pride in what the employees are doing, and how they do it. Empowerment and authority are great motivators. Training is another strong motivator. When you, as a manager or supervisor, select exemplary employees to participate in specialized training programs, you're sending a clear message: "I value you, and I want to enroll you in a training program that will help you meet the goals you've set for yourself and your career." Finally, you can motivate and recognize your employees by involving them. For example, you can create a task force to study issues the company is experiencing and ask your top performers to join the team and share their suggestions. Let them know that you value them and their suggestions. Think about other ways you can motivate your employees to go above and beyond what you expect of them. And when they do it, recognize and reward them. John Tschohl Customer Service John Tschohl is the founder and president of Service Quality Institute, a global leader in customer service. He is considered one of the world's foremost authorities on all aspects of customer service, and is the author of several books including Moving Up: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Success. His monthly strategic newsletter is available online at no cost at www.customer-service.com. MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES RECOGNIZE AND REWARD THEM RO

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