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While Customer Service Week is coming up soon (October 1-5 this year), we certainly don’t need a “special event” to make the point that providing outstanding service to those who make our business possible (that would be the customer) is an essential part of any business.

Organizers of Customer Service Week have outlined the five core goals:

“In looking at the rewards end of recognition as a tool, the best rewards depend on the individual” so the best approach is to create choices designed to achieve success, says Eric Thiegs, president of National Gift Card, as quoted in the July/August 2018 issue of Premium Incentive Products, a trade publication.

Even more basic to which rewards become part of a company’s program is the conscious decision to focus on what the individual considers more attractive, said Thiegs.

A sure sign that summer is winding down is when Labor Day arrives. We hope that employees have enjoyed time with family and friends and revelled in weather that was just as they hoped.

But Labor Day is also a key date on the calendar when it comes to celebrating the positive impact organized labor has made in our society.

MINNEAPOLIS – Aug. 16 2018 – The Incentive Gift Card Council (IGCC), a Strategic Industry Group within the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA), has elected Ashley Harris, senior director of strategic partnerships, National Gift Card (NGC), as president, and announced new officers and directors.

Harris oversees NGC’s North American portfolio of over 300 open-loop and closed-loop brands. She focuses on merchant relationships and leveraging NGC’s strategic partnerships with aggregators, processors, technology providers and card manufactures. Harris also focuses on bringing industry trends into the day-to-day operations of NGC and its merchant partner programs. Harris says the IGCC has an incredibly dedicated member base comprised of both industry veterans and new faces. “In the coming year I am looking forward to leading the board in driving member engagement through more frequent interaction focused on education, resources and networking – the three pillars of focus for the IGCC,” she explained.

Encouraging employees to adopt a "lifelong learner" mentality could very well be one of the most significant ways to improve productivity over the long term, which is why successful companies tend to "double down" on learning initiatives.

As the "thrill" of summer starts to fade and we enter the "back to school" season, people at work tend to be more receptive to a "let's learn something new" message.  Add in a little encouragement in the form of a gift card from National Gift Card and Target, a retailer with just about anything a learner might need to get started, and you're already headed in the right direction.