The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) Opens Nominations for the 2010 Spirit of Service Award

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- ICMI, now in its 25th year, is accepting nominations for its annual Spirit of Service Award.  The deadline for nominations is July 23rd 2010.

Candidates for this award will be nominated by their colleagues, their supervisors and managers, and even executives in their organizations.  Nominees must demonstrate a commitment to quality service, product-knowledge, knowledge of their customers, and an ability to handle all callbacks and emails with a sense of urgency.  Furthermore, they must make it easy to do business with the company, focus on customers and not sales, and provide what is promised to their customers.

"This award," says Layne Holley, ICMI's Director of Community Services, "is wonderful in that it recognizes the frontline agents who strive to bring value every day to their customers and their organization.  It encompasses not just providing excellent service at the customer level – which is certainly important – but it often highlights agents' contributions to the overall process in the contact center.  This type of behavior is important in that it can contribute to so many improvements in the call center environment that can have a direct impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty."

The Spirit of Service award, which is granted to call center agents worldwide who embody commitment to superior customer service and team membership within their call/contact center, will be presented during ICMI's "Celebrate the Spirit of Service Webinar" on October 6, 2010.  Nominees and winners will be notified of their status in August.

Winners of this award will receive a certificate recognizing them as an ICMI Spirit of Service 'Agent of the Year' award winner, a complimentary copy of the book "A Career for the 21st Century: A Handbook for Call Center Agents", and an ICMI online course of their choice (value $299).

Nominations are reviewed by ICMI staff and a team of judges – call center experts and practitioners, many of whom were once agents themselves, in a two-tier process to determine the Spirit of Service award winners and honorable mentions.

To nominate an agent in your call center complete the online form and return it to ICMI on or before July 23, 2010.

Last year's winners were; Jerri Sauter, CIGNA Healthcare Service Operations; Carole Garliardo, E.S. Small Business Administration; and David Nitcher, SEFCU.

About ICMI

The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010, is the leading global provider of comprehensive resources for customer management professionals – from frontline agents to executives – who wish to improve contact center operations, empower contact center employees, and enhance customer loyalty.  ICMI's experienced and dedicated team of industry insiders, analysts, and consultants are committed to providing uncompromised objectivity and results-oriented vision through the organization's respected lineup of professional services including: Training and Certification, Consulting, Events, and Informational Resources.  Founded in 1985, ICMI continues to serve as one of the most established and respected organizations in the call center industry.

ICMI is a part of UBM Live which provides leading integrated media solutions and professional services across 20 different markets.  Operating across the globe, its events, training, publications, award programs, and websites offer professionals in Interiors, Security, Venues, Customer Management, Safety & Health and Facilities the ultimate experience in learning, networking, and business development.

For more information, visit www.icmi.com.

SOURCE The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI); UBM Live