A Thank You Goes a Long Way

As children we’re taught to use our manners. This means when someone does something for you, thank them. When someone holds the door, thank them. And when someone helps you complete a task, obviously show some appreciation. If you don’t, well… you have bad manners.

We’ve all been there, preemptively labeling someone “impolite” for not expressing gratitude. Wouldn’t it be wise then for businesses to practice good manners with their clients? This notion carries over to all spectrums of life. If you don’t acknowledge friends, family, the store clerk, taxi driver (and the list goes on…) after they help you, you’re considered ignorant, right!? The same concept applies to your current and prospective customers. If they don’t feel appreciated or special, why would they use your service, let alone continue to do business with you? Let’s relate this to the real human connection…

Three weeks ago I was in Colorado for a friend’s wedding. I was excited because it’s a beautiful part of the country, but I wasn’t overjoyed to spend Labor Day weekend on someone else’s agenda. As a guest, I was required to stay in two cities, switch hotels, and drive from town to town for each festivity. So yes, I enjoyed the scenery from the car I was forced to rent, but I thought it was expensive and a lot to ask of people. By the time the ceremony concluded I had been out west for three days and had participated in nothing but wedding related activities. Mid- reception the groom stood up and said he’d like to make a speech; because I’d never seen a groom speak publically, I was attentive. He thanked the crowd of close friends and family for travelling and spoke in detail about how amazing the day was and what it meant to them as a couple. He spoke so graciously and genuinely that I somehow forgot about my depleted bank account and labeled it “the best wedding speech I’d ever heard.” His speech changed my perspective on the weekend because I saw what it meant to him, making it worth it for me. The moral of the story is that prior to feeling appreciated, I felt unappreciated. Unless gratitude is expressed, it’s not assumed…

So what about your customers? Do they feel appreciated? In today’s society consumers are considered numbers or sales that help businesses meet a quota or make money. We all want to be innovative, successful multi-taskers who rule at everything! However, can’t we be goal oriented while using customer service as an instrument to earn and retain clients? Once the customers decide to rent your apartment, use your marketing management software, or buy into your ideas, you’re only halfway there. It’s the thank you, the warm, fuzzy human connections that drive people to remember your company, recommend your product and like you.

So flashback to yourself at age 5 anxiously waiting to be released from the dinner table and your parents saying, what do you say? “Thank you!” Those magic words give children the opportunity to run free and they give adults the same opening, but on a larger scale. Whether it’s a short, handwritten note or a phone call, people want to feel appreciated, especially if they’re spending money. We’re all guilty of it at some point in our careers, taking business for granted, because nothing is considered good enough these days. But now that we’ve identified the correlation between a thank you and a strong client relationship, we can assess and modify. Just like new products sold in the marketplace, overpriced or underpriced, if given the correct treatment clients will rationalize their loyalty. So before we start analyzing our end-of-the-year revenues, the real question to ask is Do you practice good manners with your clients?

Thank you for reading!