Main Idea:
When was the last time you wrote a thank you note? When was the last time you received one? Are they even relevant in the digital era? What do they accomplish?
Expansion of the Idea:
A few weeks ago, my wife bought an article of clothing online. During this past year, most people have transitioned to buying most things online. Online shopping is great because of the convenience. The downside is the loss of connection. The buyers are isolated and make the purchases. The sellers aren’t connected to their customers. What was unusual when my wife received her purchase was that within a day or two, she received a handwritten thank you note from the particular store that fulfilled her online order. It was a very nice note written by the store manager. My wife was surprised by the note. She could not understand how the store manager could take time to write that note.
What is the impact of a simple thank you note? Do you think that store has created a better connection with my wife and with all of their customers?
They probably don’t write a thank you note for all orders. But even if it 1%, they have improved their relationships by a lot. The positive goodwill will generate referrals. More importantly, I think it sets a tone of thankfulness inside the company. I would guess that the store manager is probably a good boss. That would create a whole cycle of better service and loyalty which will improve our businesses.
What does this mean for us?
I know I could definitely improve in this area. While I think I am thankful, I know I can express it more often. In the current environment, it is so easy to get caught up with all of our problems. And, every business has some issues right now. When this occupies all of our time, it is easy to get focused on ourselves. We lose sight of all of the important people in our businesses and our lives. Here are some of the people that might need to be considered:
Spouses and Family
Employees
Customers
Vendors
Advisors
Support people, such as delivery people
Referral sources
Each of us has some specific people that are really important to us. We need to make sure we show our thanks. A handwritten note might be best. Sometimes, it might be just a quick response to a text or email. Anything we can do to improve connections will benefit us personally and our businesses. But it all starts with us deciding that we are thankful.
Your Action Plan:
Who are you thankful for?
Write a note.