Say Thank You, Dear

In the U.S., it is Thanksgiving today, my favorite holiday of the year. This also is the week I received a handwritten note from my financial advisor. She wrote, "I am well aware of the trust and confidence you have placed in me. I take this responsibility very seriously…. Thank you for making me your financial advisor."
     I'm taking the card with me to the big Thanksgiving dinner so I can show it to all my retailer relatives.
     Wherever in the world you do business, how often do you mail handwritten notes to your customers? You can get names and addresses from loyalty program registrations, special order forms, and personal checks, you know. E-mailed thank you's are a gigantic leap over doing nothing, and a "thank you for shopping with us" is mandatory every time the customer exits your store or website. Still, in a time we're all competing for the consumer's money, time, and advocacy, the special touch, such as a handwritten note, can give you a profitable advantage.
     Then please don't stop with expressing sincere appreciation to customers. Let Thanksgiving serve as a reminder to go public with gratitude to your staff. Those on the sales floor are your face to the public. Many have had to deal with stress-filled customers' faces this year. Those in the back office have been keeping the inventory and the receipts where each is supposed to be.
     And how about a thanks to retailers you know who taught you something valuable this year? Have you already thanked them not only face-to-face, but also with a handwritten note they can show around to the family? Profits come to those who are gracious, generous, and grateful.
     Oh, yes: My heartfelt thanks to you for your interest in the RIMtailing blog and other RIM services.