On a scale from one to five, give a quick rating to the following questions;

· How in touch would you say you are with your staff? 

· Do you know how they feel about you and your studio? 

· How effective is communication between you and your staff? 

· How much of a team spirit exists in your studio? 

· How often do you meet with your staff to hear their feelings and concerns?

If your staff worked more as a true team, do you think this would have a positive effect on the way your studio treats customers and would this in turn be something you would eventually see when it comes to your bottom line?

Starting to feel a little queasy when you think about all of this?  Don't worry, you are not alone.  Whether you realize it or not, the way you and your staff work together has a major effect on the way customers perceive your business.  An unhappy staff can very well translate to things starting to erode when it comes to a business that should, year after year, find ways to make things even better for everyone concerned.

It's sad to think that most employees of businesses large and small don't feel appreciated.  It's sadder to even think that most of the time, top management at most businesses don't even know their staff is unhappy.  Why?  Because the day-to-day demands of running a business often prevent upper management from keeping their pulse on the satisfaction meter of their employees, employees that more often than not, make or break the customer experience.

So what to do?  Very often the next thing we logically think of is some way to make our staff feel wanted, recognized and loved.  It often costs far more to replace a staff member than to make sure they have what they need to succeed.   "Rewards, we've got to get some sort of rewards program going here!" is all too often the response to such concerns.  Creating an atmosphere of appreciation by the use of a fun and effective incentive program can really make a huge difference in employee retention and satisfaction.  All too often businesses make the mistake of thinking they have to use large cash amounts to reward their

employees.  You might be surprised to learn that when recently polled, close to 60% of employees surveyed said they didn't want cash as a form of recognition.  With cash out of the picture, you can really be creative with how you want to reward your staff.  Studios give awards for the "Best Customer Service", "The Cleanest Studio", "The Most Creative New Business Idea", "The Good Deed of the Month", "The Biggest and Best Blooper of the Month", etc.  Have fun with this and your staff will give that back to you and so much more.  It's the meaning behind the award that shows them that you truly care.  Awards should be based on trust, relationship building and loyalty.  Studios already championing a program such as this can boast of a true team spirit that can be felt the moment the customer walks into the studio, day after day, year after year.

Could your studio benefit from a program such as this?  If so, it's easy to get it started as soon as your next staff meeting.  Do this today and start to see a happy, productive and appreciated staff tomorrow and most importantly, watch your business start to grow and prosper in ways you never thought imaginable.