Honoring Employees For Improved Customer Service

With the holiday season behind us, many are relieved to have the stress of annual travel over with. Meanwhile those who travel regularly throughout the year continue to face increased security, long lines, high prices and more.

American Airlines is looking to put the pleasure back in traveling and improve the flying experience for its customers by building a sense of competition between airport station teams and honoring improved customer service and innovative problem solving with its quarterly “Customer Cup” awards.

San Francisco, Denver, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Ohio, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic were awarded the Customer Cup this quarter for improvements in internal customer satisfaction ratings in several categories, including increases in customer interaction and baggage delivery ratings. The Customer Cup represents a small part of the airline’s focus on improving the experience for its customers by strengthening internal communication and processes. Employees from all sectors of the business are encouraged to bring forward ideas and solutions to improve the travel experience for customers, and recognition programs such as this one reward innovation.

"Given the challenges the industry faces, the Cup is a great way to recognize the accomplishments of our employees," Mark Mitchell, American's Managing Director – Customer Experience stated in a press release, "It's through their dedication and ingenuity we can deliver exceptional travel experiences of our customers."

By improving participation in improved customer experiences amongst internal stakeholders and streamlining customer experiences with new technology—including iPad, iPhone and Android mobile apps—American Airlines is turning the focus away from the inevitable negatives of flying and towards increased customer satisfaction. Has your company had any success with employee recognition programs? What goals and strategies do you have for 2011 to improve your customer experiences?