Make Your Staff Suggestion System Make Sense

Markets demand greater innovation. Customers have rising expectations. Your competitors are more nimble than ever before.

You need new ideas, efficient processes, innovative products, valuable services, and more effective ways to build a strong future together. Where are you going to get them?

Harness the power of your in-house creative ideas.

Organizations can no longer survive if managers must provide all the answers. Companies need a steady flow of ideas and solutions from those who are closest to the processes and the customers, those with their ‘ears to the ground’.

You must develop a culture that actively solicits input and recommendations from every level of your staff.

Fortunately, managers are more receptive to this approach than ever before. But how can you transform the mindset of staff who, for years or even generations, were trained to ‘keep their mouths shut, lie low and just follow orders’? How can you encourage everyone on your team to open their minds and share their best new ideas?

One technique is the ‘staff suggestion system’, a time-honored process with pre-printed forms for staff to write their ideas and with wooden boxes on the wall where they submit those ideas for management consideration.

Many companies have tried this, but few can report real satisfaction with the number, consistency or quality of contributions. Even fewer can report widespread enthusiasm for their ‘suggestion’ schemes at all.

Here are six ideas you can implement right away to make your approach more effective:

1. Respond immediately to all staff suggestions.

Be candid. If the answer is no, say no. If the answer is yes, state when staff will see implementation. If the answer is maybe, explain the issues and give a reliable date for reply.

One exception: Do not reply to obscene or abusive suggestions. A strong company culture has no place for such destructive ‘input’. Your best response is not to reply.

2. Respond to suggestions for all to see.

When one person makes a suggestion, she says what is on the minds of many. Reply to suggestions on a bulletin board, in a meeting, or by e-mail to all concerned. Thank the writer for making the contribution.

3. Give prizes for the best suggestions – right away.

Many suggestion programs involve a multi-step process. Suggestions are collected. A committee sorts for ‘realistic’ submissions. Managers appraise the cost savings and anticipated revenue from each. ‘Senior management’ decides on the reward to be given. The ‘prize’ is finally awarded.

The cycle-time for this process is often four weeks or more. In some cases the review is only once a quarter. Would you be inspired if you had to wait that long?

Try this approach: Dedicate $1,200 to the project. Give away $100 every month for one year. Each month, give $50 to the best idea, $20 to the second best idea, and $10 each to the next three best suggestions.

In the first month, only a handful of staff may participate. Give out the money anyway. When the staff realizes you are serious, their suggestions will get serious, too.

4. Establish categories for regular awards.

Categories help staff generate new ideas. Try these: ideas that can be implemented immediately, ideas for getting closer to customers, suggestions for cost savings or increasing revenue, ideas focusing on a specific theme, ideas that most dramatically challenge the current way of thinking, recommendations for the future of the business.

5. Prizes deserve publicity.

Make a big event when you give awards. One company uses ‘dollar bills’ for each winning suggestion. In the center is the staff member who contributed. In the corners is the amount of money the suggestion earned. Surrounding the portrait is a description of the suggestion itself.

These ‘dollar bills’ line the walls of the staff lounge and company cafeteria. The result is recognition for winners and a ‘culture-building’ impact that keeps the suggestion system going strong all year long.

At the end of each year, total the number of suggestions received, acknowledge the winners rewarded and highlight the positive results. Then challenge your team to double the volume of suggestions in the coming year. While you’re at it, double the volume of rewards.

6. Most important, implement the suggestions quickly.

Act on what your staff suggests. Nothing demonstrates your commitment to this approach better than a staff suggestion recognized, rewarded and immediately put to work.

Are there even more good ways to improve your company’s suggestion program? Sure there are. Got a suggestion?

Next Article in Customer Service Culture >>
How Does Singapore Airlines Fly so High?

First Article in Customer Service Education >>
Education is the Star at Starbucks

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Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed customer service training educator for quality service. He is author of the bestselling series "UP Your Service!" and founder of "UP Your Service College". To enjoy more customer service training articles, visit www.RonKaufman.com and www.UpYourService.com

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