Yep. I bought a set of tires for my F-150 work truck and the tire shop sent me a thank you card in the mail. It had a humorous cartoon with mechanics changing tires on the front and inside was an inscription about my satisfaction being their #1 concern.
I was impressed since I’ve never done business there before, and the card helped me decide that I’ve finally found “my” tire shop. I have 6 vehicles, so I’m sure they’ll see me a lot.
Do you send thank you cards? Do you prefer postcards, letters, greeting type cards? Also what do you say in them? Handwritten, or custom imprinted? Do you care to share your card? Also, who do you send them to? New customers only, every customer, every time, random, only huge money jobs.
I send a letter to every new customer, welcoming them to our company and thanking them for their business.
I do also send a letter out to existing customers who refer us to others thanking them for their referral and informing them that they have a credit for $25.00 on their next service. Customers really seem to love this!
this is an aspect of my business that I’ve really dropped the ball on. Thanks for the reminder! I believe small gestures like that go along way. Imma go do it right now actually. I print my labels directly from customerfactor, and I pay my little sister to handwrite them, unless it’s just a few, then I do it, but my handwriting SUCKS
This is a sweet tactic that I don’t do…perhaps I should find a cartoon somewhere (not from www.windowcleaningcartoons, they don’t get me that excited…)
that’s something I want to do.
Of course for Residential, but what about commercial? I mean like your $10-20 Bi-weekly accounts? Or just like, lets say for example anything that’s equals over $60 a mon?
Steve…(wicked-cool video response, by the way…sweet.)
I actually made a video myself about a little something I’m doing for my juiciest clients. I made this video a few weeks ago. It involves a thank you letter (not card), and a little customized, unique gift.
This was suggested to me some time ago by another window cleaner here in Maryland and I remember thinking it was a good idea then and it sounds even better now.
Considering most of our customers are women, it makes perfect sense that the sending of a thank you card would be appreciated and respected.
I’m gonna put that on my list of things to do over cold winter days to use by next spring. Thanks again all!
been sending christmas cards to all my clients works pretty good
no discounts just a friendly merry christmas,works for comercial/resi both
will like the thank you
Steve, I am able tokeep track by making a note in the customers file. I use service ceo so ots’ really simple for me to make notes and keep track of these kinds of things.
OK, I have CEO also but haven’t really used it to it’s full potential. I can see with version 6.2 you can add an alert and I suppose that would work too. I finally figured out the mail merge feature this morning. That should be a really big help with getting out the thank you cards.
John Lawhon or Lawhorn … whatever… wrote a book called “The Selling Bible”. One of the major principles he pounded on was service after the sale. Which no doubt about it, consists of thank you cards.
[CENTER][SIZE=“4”]Thank you cards WILL increase your revenue by 25%![/SIZE][/CENTER]
I Guaran-freakin’ tee it.
This site send out cards .com has a cost effective way for you to send thank you cards that are personalized to each customer and you don’t have to lick a single stamp.
I just am in the process of joining and sent out a card with a discount on the next time service. They said thanks for the card and can we realy use it the next time? I said yes of course use it anytime in the next year for the $25 off.
They kept the card and called me! works and is cheaper than we can buy stamps and cards as well.
For those that are asking about the M&M’s idea. I just did this. I spent the dough and sent them out. I am kicking myself for not doing it sooner. I actually found those little jewels about six months ago and priced them for sending to customers. I thought it was too high. But after reading and listening to what Kevin has to say about customers, and then him presenting his little unique gift idea, I had to do it.
I ordered the little bags of M&M’s. They are $3.99 US/each. They come with two lines (very small lines) of text. Just do an online search for personal M&M’s to find them. It was very easy. I had mine in four days. It took longer to get letters and coupons printed than it did to get the candy.
I am anxious about the results. They went out today.
Another great idea from the DUB-ster. Way to go Kevin!
Oh crap…Sorry for the instant ADHD thread hijack…
Yes, I do send out thank you cards. I used to do hand written ones, but that got too time consuming. Currently I am sending out plain letters, but I plan on getting a subscription to the card club (as I call it). It’s the membership discount printed card thing that Steve Wright sells. Good Stuff, I hope.
I also just sent out a “loyalty letter” to all of my storefront and commercial clients. It is a response to the efforts of other window cleaners to try to come into my area and cause havoc. Yeah, I’m talking about the guy that told some of my customers that I wasn’t in biz any longer. I basically stated that I was glad that they were my customers and how we are going to continue to offer the best quality and customer service for the same affordable price. And a big giant “THANK YOU for your loyalty” in the last paragraph too.
