You know the old saying, “The sales team may sell the first machine, but it’s the service team that sells the second one.”
Today, with new equipment sales in decline, that’s truer than ever. Great service technicians are a key profit driver for manufacturers. As a result, they’re in high demand, and the service they provide is crucial to customer satisfaction.
But what about their own satisfaction?
Field customer service can be a thankless and unrewarding job: long hours, a lot of time on the road, and little motivation. Without extra incentives, service techs may see little benefit in going the extra mile for customer loyalty.
Worse, they may simply quit. And, given how hard it is to recruit good service technicians these days, you don’t want to lose the ones you have.
So, how can you keep your service techs on board?
Obviously, offering a good wage is the place to start–-especially with climbing inflation. But money isn’t everything. In fact, the incentivizing impact of a raise or a bonus doesn’t always last long.
By offering employee rewards that make your service team feel seen, valued, and respected, you’re more likely to keep them motivated, and for longer.
How incentives for service technicians benefit your business
Rewarding service technicians for a job well done can have significant benefits. It boosts motivation, improves productivity and work quality, and encourages retention.
But, with a bit of strategic thinking, your reward scheme can also be great for your bottom line.
Ask yourself:
- What incentives will motivate service technicians to deliver better service?
- What will make them strive to improve customer satisfaction?
- What will encourage them to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness?
By tying their incentives to the company’s success, you give your techs a sense of ownership of that success.
Ideas of incentives to offer service technicians
What kind of incentives are most appropriate for achieving those benefits? Consider these 7 options:
1. Spot bonuses
Financial rewards are the most immediate way to demonstrate recognition and appreciation for great work. It’s important, though, that spot bonuses are not overused to the point of being expected. It’s also key to use them consistently, and fairly. For example, failure to get an expected bonus can actually damage morale, and may even create resentment.
2. Paid leave
Many service techs work on an hourly basis, and end up putting in long hours as a result. However, this can cause low morale and burnout. Offering vacation pay is a major incentive for your workers, especially for intensive work, such as for service techs. It’s also been shown that paid vacations reduce work-related stress strain and improve well-being in the workplace.
3. Physical gifts
Most blue-collar workers say they would prefer tangible rewards (such as merchandise rewards, food and drink, electronics or watches) to recognition or development opportunities. Gifting something physical sears the moment into their memory and is an effective way to remind them of your appreciation.
Service techs may also appreciate receiving high-quality tools that improve their work and the satisfaction they get from it.
4. Gift cards
Gift cards make sure that every reward is something that the employee will value. By giving that customization option, you show your technicians that you want them to have something that will really benefit them.
5. Personalized experiences
While many employees value tangible rewards, others—and in particular millennials—prefer experiences, such as sports, games, concerts, travel, or off-site outings. Giving individuals the opportunity to choose how they want to enjoy their reward makes a lasting impact.
6. Peer recognition
When your service techs can receive and send reward points to each other, it fosters a sense of belonging, teamwork, and worth. In a role that can often be quite solitary, peer recognition can be an invaluable motivator.
7. Upskilling and training
Service technicians know they are in demand because their skills are valuable and specialized. Many service technicians want to upskill, especially in growing areas like data analytics, robotics, and automation.
Offering service technicians the opportunity to develop new skills or gain certification makes them more valuable to the company and to the customer. What’s more, having expertise and being recognized for it is a major boost for self-confidence—and retention.
How to create an employee reward program for service techs
You may not be able to change the demands of a service technician’s job, but the incentives you offer can sweeten the deal. But getting it right means creating a rewards program designed specifically for service techs. A great service technician incentive scheme will be:
Mobile-friendly
Service techs are always on the go, so you need an employee reward program that they can access from their phone. For instance, with Fond’s mobile app, your service technicians can send and receive reward points wherever they are. Not only that, but they can also redeem their points on the go.
Easy to use
Service techs are notoriously busy, so you need an employee rewards program that doesn’t take long to learn or to use. Fond’s intuitive interface makes using our platform as easy as any other application your techs use every day.
Customizable
To motivate your service technicians, your rewards scheme needs to offer them incentives they’ll actually value and use. We built Fond to be unusually easy to customize, so your employee rewards program will line up with company priorities and values while offering your techs the kind of rewards you know they’ll value.
From the tech to the customer to the company, it’s in everyone’s interest to have committed, motivated, and happy service techs on your team. To see how Fond can help you recognize and reward your service technicians, request a demo.