Fun and Games at Work

Great finds:  Leigh Anderson’s book, “The Games Bible,” offers up “about 350 diversions meant to make waiting rooms more bearable or parties more interesting,” reports Steven McElroy in the New York Times (10/22/10).  

If you are in any type of service industry, chances are that sometimes clients have to wait for you.   Emergencies, high maintenance clients, absent staff members – there are many reasons that we fall behind the schedule from time to time.  The Games Bible would be a great resource for any receptionist or manager faced with the dilemma of entertaining people for a short time – and what an incredible point of difference it would make.  (Also a great resource for planning staff meetings, retreats, or even your own parties at home!)

Just imagine:  instead of a stack of magazines that have been handled by who-knows-how-many hundreds of other people, dog eared and sometimes months old; instead, when a client arrives, they’re greeted and ushered in to an ice-breaker.  You make them part of a game going on within your business where they are immediately transformed into part of the “in group” and immediately engaged. 

Or maybe it’s a ‘pop quiz’ question, and if they answer correctly, they receive a free sample or small branded item.  Or they walk in and have a chance to spin a wheel or draw a card from a deck, with prizes assigned to certain results (such as a free product or sample, a spot-discount on their service – or, even better – a gift certificate good for their next service or to pass forward to a friend). 

With a little creativity (which you already have in abundant quantities) you can come up with a customized ‘game’ to play at work that can absolutely set your business apart from any and every competitor.  You’ll bring some excitement and intrigue to guests who will be more engaged themselves; plus, how much more likely are they to tell friends about your business when there is always something fun to talk about? 

Here’s a link to the book that inspired the post –

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=wwwbeinpulsec-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0761153896&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr