Just the other day, I had a unique experience to sit in on a professional sports team staff meeting. The staff was clearly excited and buzzing in preparation for the upcoming season and everyone had their lists of responsibilities from season ticket organizing to corporate golf tournament management, but one thing caught my ear in particular.
The head coach surely had is pressing issues that needed addressing, but he spent most of his time discussing something the rest had seemed to almost forget about, the in-game camera operators for the jumbo-tron. On top of everything else going on in the office the coach was concerned about the commonly ignored $8.00 camera operators, and more importantly how the organization could keep camera operators longer than just one season. The initial response was to simply pay them more, but due to restrictions with the facility and their employment this was not negotiable. The coach then asked the group: What can we make special for them that adds value and builds their loyalty to us – the brainstorming began that very moment. I was simply fascinated at how all of these other important issues froze for that moment to figure out what the organization could give to camera operators to impress upon them how valued they were.
I won’t give away the final decision, but it’s looking good for the men behind the lenses. I took this as a lesson for the future though: Cool stuff with your brand on it should transcend simply finding new customers. Business owners and managers have responsibility to their teams and their staffs to develop not only loyalty but personal investment. Sure, these camera guys won’t stick around because they got some cool team-branded swag, but providing the experience and connecting with them with legitimate gratitude makes ALL of the difference in the world.
rushIMPRINT has so many options for you to consider recognizing your teams today. Check us out and make the difference for your most valuable resources, people!