Customer Loyalty: When Little Things Mean A Lot

The internet is no longer a brave new world.  It’s part of our everyday existence and has made a profound impact on how we not only view the world, but how we communicate in it.

 

Any time night or day we can ‘speak’ to people not only through words, but with sights and sounds. But yet despite all the social networking, we still clamor for more personalization.  It extends beyond the social sphere, and into our business world as well. We hold webinars, podcasts, teleconferences, sign contracts electronically, but we still crave more.  Could it be that we really miss real human face time (without a screen partition) or the warmth of a simple handshake?  While this auto-magical electronic world of ours has the capacity to simulate, it doesn’t replicate the human touch. But we can. Take out a pen.  Pick up a phone.

 

There was a time not all that long ago, if you sent a note or card to a friend or client, you might be deemed ‘old fashioned,’ or at the very least electronically illiterate. That’s all changed.  These days, I find that more and more people are honestly moved when they receive a card or note, especially when it’s delivered via snail mail.  It shows them you care enough to take the time to actually put pen to paper and personalize your relationship with them.  It demonstrates your added value.

 

I have a habit of jotting down personal things that may come out of a discussion – maybe a birthday or anniversary –  and follow up with a card .  A ‘nice to have met you’ note is always appropriate regardless of whether you scored the account that day.  You never know where it’s going to lead. I’ve secured several large accounts simply by sending a note to a business owners I didn’t work with, simply because they were impressed enough by my gesture to pass me on to other businesses that did hire me.   And there are even times when simple phone calls work too – even when they’re not about you.

 

While it can’t replace the convenience or expediency of electronic communications, used judiciously, it goes a long way when it comes to letting your clients and associates know they mean more to you than an entry in a business ledger. It reassures them too of how wise they were to choose you!

 

Our communication tools have changed over time, but thoughtfulness never goes out of style. As businesses, customer loyalty needs to be nurtured, and providing value is our constant. There are times when simple human touches, like a handwritten note can evoke more meaning than the most sophisticated modern gizmo.