Thank you to everyone for your continued partnership/readership this year; we look forward to a wonderful 2019 ahead!

It's an obvious and fitting time of year to discuss "giving thanks." It's certainly a time of reflection as we pause and think of all that we are thankful for, both personally and professionally. In business, the #1 thing we should be thankful for is our customers. It should come as no surprise to you that we are thankful for them, but do they feel appreciated? A simple "thank you" to them has become such a habit and ordinary part of our scripts and emails, so do you really think they pause when they hear or read those words and think, "Wow, they really appreciate me and the business I am giving them"? 9.5 times out of 10, the answer is no. 

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