Gateshead call centre rewards staff with cash prize scheme

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A Houghton-le-Spring woman’s dedication and commitment to her job was recognised by her employer, Gateshead-based Spark Response and her colleagues, when she won the top prize of £1,500 in their Reward and Recognition incentive scheme.

Sonia Taylor, 40, a customer service advisor for the contact centre and fulfilment specialist, has worked at Spark for eight years and also looks after credit control for its ecommerce clients and banking for its major publishing clients. She was delighted and surprised to find out she had won: “I wasn’t there when the announcement was made,” she said. “I only found out when my work colleagues started gathering around my desk, screaming excitedly that I had won.

“£1,500 makes a big difference. I treated my daughter to £500 just because I love her and I’m holding on to the rest of the money for the sales or anything else that I might need,” she said.

The programme, which has been running since 2006, allows all staff to nominate (and be nominated by) fellow employees for hard work and dedication. Successful nominations result in one or three points for the nominee, which go toward the big cash draw where £2,750 is up for grabs. In addition, every three months a ‘Quarterly Hero’ (the person with most points) is named.

Sonia received three awards during the year, all for her exceptional commitment to her job and the company. Spark contact centre team manager Anne Patterson nominated Sonia for her attitude to her work. “I appreciate the time she has taken to help me fully understand banking procedures and taken time to train two members of staff new to the function,” she said.

Another of Sonia’s nominations was for demonstrating exceptional knowledge during a visit from a new client, Society Cards.

Spark’s managing director, Peter Slee from Sunderland, commented: “It is vital for us to show new clients that they are as valued as our existing clients. Sonia’s ability to impress the client and demonstrate her commitment to the campaign processes was commendable. It can be quite daunting for our frontline team knowing that clients are on site, without the added pressure of them asking questions about what you do, which can be a difficult line of questioning for the best of us. The visit left the client blown away and much of the impression of our contact centre they took home with them was down to Sonia.”

Mr Slee points out that the company’s Reward and Recognition scheme is a prime example of why Spark is a people-oriented business. “It is belief in our staff and our commitment to rewarding and recognising their hard work that makes us a great business to work for,” he said.

Every employee who is nominated in Spark’s Reward and Recognition scheme receives a token gift of wine or chocolates and a thank you card, which carries either one or three reward points – one for exceeding targets, three for generating efficiencies and savings. Each point is an entry into the big cash giveaway of £1,500, £750 and £500 for the first, second and third prize winners. Trish Stockdale was the runner up and Alan Baron won third prize.

Pictured above: Sonia Taylor (left) with managing director Peter Slee, Alan Baron (third prize winner) and Trish Stockdale (runner up).

20 Jan 2010

Filed under Call Centre News