With Customer Service Week on the (very near) horizon, excitement is high and budgets are, well, where they are. Keeping costs in mind, we’ve come up with 14 low-cost ways to celebrate Customer Service Week, with some help from our #ICMIchat friends.

1. Host a training day (via Neal Topf and Jeff Toister)

Customer Service Week is a great time to brush up on essential skills and learn some new ones. With a team-oriented atmosphere built into the week, preparing and executing training should be a breeze.

2. Tell the best CX story (via Kevin Hegebarth)

Customer Service Week gives employees the chance to highlight some of their best customer experiences in front of their peers. Bonus points if you have the CEO recognize (and award) the best story.

3. Do some team-building activities

Almost everyone loves team-building, with its zany exercises and great sense of camaraderie. You only need a few supplies for a lot of fun—grab a hula hoop, bucket and tennis ball and you’re ready to go.

4. Hold a pancake breakfast (via Nate Brown and Sean Hawkins)

Celebrate the most important meal of the day during the most important (customer service) week of the year. Bonus points if you recruit another department or company leadership to flip the flapjacks.

5. Host a town hall meeting (via Neal Topf)

Town hall meetings are a great way to voice opinions, air grievances and share new ideas. Come with an open mind (and a full stomach after a pancake breakfast) and be ready to learn and collaborate.

6. Have a pajama or dress up day

What’s more fun than wearing a suit and tie to work? Wearing pajamas, of course! Encourage employees to dress up or dress down with a fun clothing-themed day.

7. Recognize standout employees (via Neal Topf)

Customer Service Week is a chance for hardworking employees to be recognized for their superior work by peers and supervisors. Survey your team to see who they think has done an outstanding job and let that person reap the rewards.

8. Have colleagues from other departments listen in (via Silver Lining)

You can’t really understand the customer service rep lifestyle unless you’ve lived it. Invite employees from other departments to try on the headset and see what a day in the life is like.

9. Put customer quotes on a banner (via Nate Brown)

Writing customer quotes on a banner is a great way to highlight all the valuable work agents have done. Not only will it inspire reflection, but it will also be a great memento for years to come.

10. Unveil new initiatives (via Jeff Toister)

Customer Service Week is a great time to review and overhaul your existing customer service initiatives. It’s also a great time to introduce some new ones and get the ball rolling while everyone is more attentive.

11. Make a fun video

You’re proud of your agents, right? Grab a camera and do a sweep of your call center, highlighting each and every agent while they’re working or having fun. Bonus points if you make a music video.

12. Share top hero stories (via Jeff Toister)

Ideally, every one of your agents will have a hero story to tell, one where they went above and beyond and really made a customer’s day. Set aside some group discussion time and let each agent share their story.

13. Have a Nerf war! (via Corvisa)

This suggestion is a little out there but is bound to be really fun for your agents. Stock up on Nerf guns, distribute them to employees, and prepare for some foam dart fun!

14. Write thank you notes to each of your agents (via Erica Strother Marois)

Everyone enjoys being appreciated, and there’s nothing that shows you care more than taking the time and effort to write thank you cards for each of your agents. Bonus points if you highlight one time where an agent really shone, and let them know it.

What low-cost suggestions do you have to celebrate Customer Service Week? Leave us a comment and don’t forget to download our whitepaper on providing great customer service over text message.

Have a great Customer Service Week!