The Power of a Handwritten Note

Do little courtesies, like a handwritten note to a customer, really have an impact on customer loyalty? If the product is bad and the processes consistently poor, then the answer is likely to be no. In the long-term, small courtesies won’t make up for a dysfunctional business model.

But when the product is good and the processes are customer-friendly, little touches like can lock in an emotional connection between the customer and the organization. My wife’s nephew, Ryan, recently sent me the following note:

I had to share this story with you. A couple weeks ago I ordered a speaker for my home theater system from Crutchfield.com. Today, I received a letter in the mail from them. It was a handwritten note thanking me for my purchase. Even though they’re a huge company and I don’t think the person writing the note actually had anything to do with my transaction, it made me “feel” like I was important to them. Kind of nice. Thought you might appreciate that.

The handwritten note Ryan received clearly had a positive impact. So much so that he was willing to take the time to share the story with me. My guess is that the next time he needs to make an electronics purchase, Crutchfield will certainly be in the running for Ryan’s business.

Something to think about: What personal touches are you adding to show your customers that you appreciate their business?