Showing gratitude and saying "thanks" trends during this month of Thanksgiving, but we shouldn't need a holiday to remember to thank our customers and employees. Why? Because without our customers and employees, we can't be successful.  Being thankful every day by voicing this "thanks" is imperative to business success and longevity. Here are just a few additional reasons why showing gratitude is beneficial:

The factor that has the highest impact on the impression of a buying experience is how the customer feels they are being treated. Understanding the importance of this is essential for all businesses because it is what is needed in order to build loyalty.  So let's amp up our customer service by making all of our customers feel VALUED and GOOD!  5 easy ways, with supporting tips, to make this happen:

In the beginning, I thought inviting people to lunch was a good idea.  Then at one of the lunches, I found out that an individual had worked the overnight shift, changed out of uniform, and caught a couple of hours of sleep prior to joining me for lunch.  This person didn't have enough time to go home and come back for our lunch, and didn't want to miss the opportunity to accept a lunch invitation from the CEO.  From that day forward, I knew that I had to have meals with staff members at rotating hours to fit into their schedules, not into mine.  Even to listen, you have to make yourself available to the logistic needs of others.

-Dr. David Feinberg, former CEO of the UCLA Hospital System, quoted in Prescription for Excellence