On a holiday weekend built around the idea of giving thanks for everything in our lives, I feel it is appropriate to stop for a moment and think about customer appreciation. Customers and their money are the driving force of commerce and the success of any business. But are they appreciated in the way they should be?
The beauty of this discussion is that we can all so easily see it from both sides - marketer and customer.
That said, let me ask you this bombshell of a question:
Do you as a customer really feel appreciated by the companies you patronize?
If the answer is no, and I'm betting it is, stop for a moment and ask why that feeling exists. I'll bet that it is not because those companies deliver bad products or services. Instead I think the problem lies in the systems that drive them, technological or otherwise. ATMs don't smile at us, shopping online doesn't make us feel warm, brand advertising doesn't make us jump for joy, and a 12-step automated toll-free certainly doesn't make us feel special.
What does? Genuine interaction with people who care. So, my challenge to you, my friends, is to think about how you show appreciation to people through people this holiday season.
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