Here’s a story I came across on-line. The author, Jack Bastide, gave me permission to include it on my blog as an example of how expressing genuine interest in customers translates into increased customer satisfaction and—ultimately—sales!
“About 3 years ago we bought two Jeeps. A Grand Cherokee for myself and a Liberty for my wife. We bought them at two different dealerships. The guy that sold me my Jeep handed me his business card and I never heard from him again. I don’t remember his name and I don’t remember the name of his dealership.
The person who sold my wife the car is Martha from Courtesy Jeep. I haven’t seen Martha in 3 years but I remember her very well. Why do I remember her?
- She sends me birthday cards
- She sends my wife birthday cards
- She sends us holiday cards
- She even sent us a happy anniversary card for the one-year anniversary of our Jeep!
So if somebody was to say to me, “Hey, I’m looking to buy a Jeep. Where should I go?” Who would I recommend? Some guy I don’t even know or Martha? Martha, of course. It’s a no-brainer!”
My take-away? It’s worth the extra time and attention it takes to express genuine interest in your customers. Aside from building relationships, it’s unexpected—a pleasant surprise—and lets customers know that you value their business, referrals, and loyalty.
