Sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference. I have had two experiences recently that reminded me of how effective a small gesture is in conveying customer appreciation.
I have a paid account with MailChimp and I was having trouble figuring something out and decided that I would rather send an email than wait through the delays of chat (where an agent is probably supporting at least two other customers while chatting with me). So I used the contact form and, once I hit send, I was sent to a page that said “Thank you! Your message has been sent, and you’ll hear back from our support team shortly. We’re moving your request to the front of the line. Thank you for being a paid MailChimp customer.” [emphasis added] This was an effective reminder of why I pay a modest $10/month for additional features and service. (And I got just the answer I needed within minutes of sending my query.)
Another company that understands the personal touch is HelloDirect, a valuable source for high-quality headsets, particularly for those of us who are hard of hearing. With every shipment, they include several wrapped candies, just because. And on the outside is a printed label, “Thanks for being a loyal customer since 2007”. Even though I don’t buy from them very often, I like being acknowledged as a repeat customer. These are small efforts that go a long way to personalize a business transaction.
How are you showing your customers you really appreciate them? How can you cultivate more client luv?