The Power of Thank You

More than almost anything in business a ‘thank you’ can set you apart from competitors. A tangible ‘from the heart’ thank you has the power to create long-term relationships.

 To the individual an appropriate personal thank you conveys recognition, appreciation and respect for contribution or effort - key words here are appropriate and personal.

Over the past few years I’ve talked about business growth concepts and ideas with many business groups and conferences - thousands of people. I like to ask questions, learn what people like, dislike, and remember, about encounters with businesses.

I’ve observed that a well executed personal thank you is rated highly and remembered.

Yet many businesses either don’t recognise, or ignore the powerful future-business-building potential of thank you.

Why say a Special Thank You?

Why trouble to say what probably seems (to some) a bothersome extra - after all someone’s already been through the please and thank you routine?

Saying thank you at the usual point-of-contact with individuals (including customers) is not memorable (although not saying thank you is), simply part of polite relationships. Polite relationships are mandatory, not an option. In particular, customers expect polite ‘please and thank you’ service as a matter of course.

Furthermore, in high volume customer contact situations personalisation tends to fly out the window - ‘thank you madam/sir ‑ next please’ takes over. Saying thank you as part of normal business communications isn’t by itself, likely to make a lasting impression.

A special thank you, especially when unexpected, ranks highly as an action that imprints favourably, often indelibly, on individuals minds. Time and time again, I meet people who recall by name, businesses they’ve dealt with over the last two years that made the effort to say a special ‘thank you’. Most say they’d buy again or be happy to recommend the business to others.

High levels of repeat and referral business are directly attributable to the thank you concept say business people who have thank you programmes in place, and the cost of thank you programmes is easily offset by increased sales.

Saying a special thank you is a business investment that helps set your business apart, creating favourable lasting impressions and goodwill. Your business benefits from greater loyalty and the likelihood, directly or indirectly, of improved sales.

Use of the term ‘individuals’, rather than ‘customers’, is deliberate. That’s because, as well as customers, thank you has business building potential across a wide range of other individuals.

Who to Thank

• advocates - customers and non-customers who support your business by referring new customers to you, or otherwise recommending your business.
• clients - loyal customers, who have a long-term, maybe multiple product or service relationship.
• customers - new buyers.
• enquirers - people who have asked for information.
• staff - people who work in the business.
• suppliers - those from whom you buy products and services.
• supporters - outsiders who, in some special way, help your business.

When to Thank

Thank you opportunities include:

• anniversary of sale, contract or relationship.
• complaint resolution.
• end of contract.
• end of hire-purchase.
• follow up to enquiries.
• recognising special service or performance.
• prompt payment.
• business referrals.
• after sale.
• special occasions or events.

Add Value When Appropriate

As well as expressing genuine appreciation for business or support, a thank you may (when appropriate) include:

• post-purchase reassurance, reminders of guarantees and service back up.
• satisfaction surveys.
• referral suggestions.
• praise for something well done or out-of-the-ordinary.
• incentive offers or invitations.
• gifts.

How to Thank

Carefully or not at all, is the rule. Care is necessary or your efforts to impress people may backfire. Each thank you must appear to be carefully personalised, anything that looks like a form-letter shouts insincerity. Misspelt or incorrect names and titles offend and damage credibility.

Handwritten notes work especially well in some circumstances.

If any form of gift is involved it must be tasteful, appropriate to the individual, quality without extravagance. Avoid junk. Avoid items that are tastelessly over emblazoned with company logos - some, it seems, do not understand the difference between a business advertisement and promotional item and a personal thank you gift. Avoid anything that looks as if you’ve taken the opportunity to get rid of surplus or old stock. Be cautious with alcohol, some people do not approve and a thoughtless thank you may give offence.

Types of Thank You

Thank you actions may be divided into four categories:

1: ‘no strings’

A simple, sincere thank you, usually a letter, no sales ‘hype’.

2: ‘no strings’ value-added

After the sale, usually a letter, with post-purchase reassurance, no sales ‘hype’.

3: ‘reward’

Sales oriented thank you, usually a letter, with relevant offers and sales incentives.

4: ‘gift’

Thank you, usually a letter or card, with appropriate ‘no-strings’ gift.

Originally published in Her Business magazine. By Phil Slater

Copyright ©2008-2009 flokka.com and ©2008-2009 herbusiness.com. Article material on flokka.com is copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without advance written permission is prohibited.