America’s Fastest-Growing Real Estate Company
Valuation Management Group provides commercial and residential real estate services.
Courtesy Company
CEO Vicky Thompson
To keep her property appraisal business humming during the downturn, Vicky Thompson shifted its focus to foreclosures. Last year, to keep her employees motivated, she started a vacation contest. Each time staff members did an outstanding job with a client, she gave them a raffle ticket. At the company's holiday party in December, she threw the entries in a box and selected 10 staff members, each of whom could bring a guest, to join her on an all-expenses-paid trip to Mexico's Mayan Riviera. In February, they spent four days snorkeling, sailing, and touring Mayan ruins. Employees are now collecting raffle tickets for a trip to Cancún in 2012. The contest has improved morale, Thompson says, as well as customer service. "We're getting a lot more positive feedback from clients," she says. "Our growth is up tremendously. A lot of that is due to the attitude of our staff."
ADVERTISEMENT
Inc. 500 STATS
Inc. 500|5000 slideshow
The 2011 Inc. 5000: Top 10 Female Entrepreneurs
From healthcare to baby food to technology consulting, these
women entrepreneurs have forged their way to the top of their
fields.
Inc. 500|5000 Videos
Barry Hartzberg, Satory Global
The COO describes how he created a comfortable, family feeling at Satory Global, the management and consulting IT firm he co-founded.
Inc. 500|5000 Twitter Feeds
