Special Perks Breed Employee Loyalty
September 15 2005

3-D Thinking
Special Perks Breed Employee Loyalty: Terri Hedges

Terri Hedges

When Mailer's Choice Inc., her Nashville, Tennesee-based direct-mail and fulfillment company, struggled during a severe economic slump in 2002, she refused to lay off any of her 45 employees. As a result, Hedges admits that the business "took a tough financial hit." But it survived.

"The money to make payroll was mostly borrowing from Peter to pay Paul," recalls Hedges, who founded the business with her husband in 1979. "It wasn't financially wise. But we decided to ride out the storm together."

Through twenty-five years of business, Hedges has led Mailer's Choice to an average annual growth rate of 15 percent and the company is nearing $2 million in sales. She attributes her success in large part to her creative approach for recruiting and retaining employees.

New hires, often plucked from the temp pool, learn the business from the ground up. They participate in an extensive training program, spending one week in each of the four main production areas: inkjet addressing, hand fulfillment, folding, and inserting. They rotate through each department under the guidance of a veteran employee who serves as a mentor.

"Our goal is to give new employees a chance to find something they like and pursue it," says Hedges, who took FastTrac in 2003. "We're looking for a good way to use their skill set. Whether they wind up running the folder or inserter or showing computer aptitude, we want them to build their skills and grow with us."

Hedges celebrates employees' accomplishments in creative ways. For example, one of her longtime workers fled Iraq years ago and recently earned U.S. citizenship. The company hosted a potluck lunch in the woman's honor and invited all employees and temps to attend.

A member of the customer-service staff addressed the guest of honor as he told the group, "Our country is a better place because of you." The honoree cried and the whole room shook with emotion.

"It's not always the wages that keep people in this industry," says Hedges. "It's the camaraderie that comes from getting everyone together as a family."

Hedges also rewards her employees with unusual perks. She periodically arranges for an ice-cream truck to pull up to the front door and give out frozen treats to everyone. She has cooked pancakes for the staff and held coloring contests for their kids. Last Halloween she distributed plastic trick-or-treat bags to every employee with a $100 bill folded inside.

"Whether it's free ice cream, free turkeys at Thanksgiving, or a surprise $100 for no reason, it's a perk people don't expect," Hedges says. "That makes it even more memorable."

Your FastTrac Connection: Terri Hedges, president, Mailer's Choice Inc., in Nashville, Tennessee. E-mail: thedges@mailerschoice.com. FastTrac Affiliate: Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.