I was doing an extensive consulting and training project for a large insurance company, and, when youre trying to produce major improvements, you are bound to run into resistance.

Ive always found it fascinating that frontline people resist change less than their more experienced managers.

One manager, smarting from a new set of performance measures that showed her people in a less than favorable light, looked right at me and quipped:

Cant you just give us a prize, and go away?

Apparently, her group, just the previous year, had won an award for a minor aspect of its customer service. This award was bestowed by a for profit organization that charges participating companies for being a part of their ratings.

If five companies sign up and pay their fees, they are the ones that are rated by the award giver. These firms could be the very worst service providers in the industry, but the firm that scores the highest among these five, will be given a Best In Customer Service award.

My client earned one, and it went to their heads. They thought, because they bought the name, that they also had the game, which the new performance measures quite conclusively showed they did not have.

I decided to visit the award-giving company, at my own expense, and had lunch with its chief.

I asked him, point blank, How important is it to your market research company that you offer awards?

Youve probably heard that there are no dumb questions. Well, the look on his face, after I asked mine, disputed that claim.

He said, Theyre essential.

So, I continued, In essence, youre in the prize business?

Uh, yes.

Which brings me to my point.

If you dig into most of the award winning customer service designations sported in company marketing communications these days, youll find that there is usually a major disconnection between the puffery and the performance.

The next time you see such a boast, ask the CSRs (1) What, specifically, did your group win; (2) What other companies participated; and (3) Did you pay a fee to participate, and in effect, to receive the award?

Then, go away!