How many times have you purchased an item and never gotten a hint of gratitude from the person who accepted your hard-earned cash? I purchased a wide-screened, HD 3D Plasma TV to entertain my granddaughters when they come to visit! With the cords and glasses and paraphernalia, the tab came to over a grand. When the checkout clerk failed to give me even a nod of gratitude I asked her, “If I met you on the street and gave you $1000, what would you say to me?” “I would thank you,” she replied.

“I just gave you a grand,” I said. She curtly replied, “But, you didn’t give that money to me, you gave it to my employer.” I was not done with this scene. “Are you not the ambassador for this store?” Her terse response: “They don’t pay me enough to be an ambassador.”

Customers love to be thanked. My team recently purchased a MailChimp account online. The product is a simple, efficient way of managing email lists for sending out mass emails, newsletters or announcements. As soon as the order processed, back came the email,

“Yippee! Your campaign is inbox-bound. Congratuations on sending your first campaign as a paid MailChimp customer. It’s kind of a big deal, so we have a little surprise for you.” 

The email directed me to the “Get Your Gift” button. Now, here’s the best part! The next email read,

“Hooray! Your gift is on the way! Your t-shirt has been lovingly packed and is on its way to you. Wear it like a hug from us to you.” 

Gratitude can come in many forms. It can be a simple, “thanks” or an elaborate gratitude campaign. It works best when it is sincere, monogrammed and instant. Even an online service provider can take a lesson from MailChimp! This is National Customer Service Week. Thank your customers for giving you money!

I hope you’ve been inspired, as I am, by meeting some of my customer service heroes this week! I would love to hear about yours in the comments!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The 9 1/2 Principles of Innovative Service by Chip R. Bell

The 9 1/2 Principles of Innovative Service

by Chip R. Bell

Giveaway ends October 12, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

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