Give Them The Pickle (And A Pen Too)

During a recent visit to A&O client station Pattison Radio Group's JRfm, Vancouver, I noticed a jar of pickles on PD Gord Eno's desk.

Then, it became obvious that literally every employee in the station had a jar of pickles on their desk. "What's up?" I had to know.

Eno explained that (CJJR-CKBD) GM Gerry Siemens had played customer service trainer Bob Farrell's "Give 'Em The Pickle" video for the staff (click to see and hear the story). Siemens then presented every employee with a jar of pickles to help everyone remember to 'give 'em the pickle' instead of telling listeners and customers what 'we can't do.' (i.e. limiting big fans of the station to winning only once in 30 days. Why would we do that?? Isn't the idea to encourage them to listen a lot?)

Then, Gerry told the team the story of Barcley's Bank which started as a rant on "Is It Normal":

You know the pen at the bank? Why is it on that damn chain? It drives me insane. They can leave both vaults open; sure, the MONEY, that's unimportant, but GOD FORBID someone should steal the friggin pen.

Now, JRfm contestants are permitted to win as often as they want, every member of the station's staff has a pickle jar on their desk to remind them of that attitude of "customer first service" .. and each winner, when they come into the station, gets a free pen!