Expressing Appreciation
Expressing appreciation has many rewards.
In America, we have a holiday where we express our appreciation for family and other relationships. Now that Thanksgiving is over, we don’t want to forget about this simple but very special act.
One of the easiest and most valuable ways of building relationships is expressing appreciation. I’ve been amazed to see the result of a few words in a simple note.
A number of years ago, I was in a showroom and noticed a sample of a fabric which the company had said was discontinued. We had spent several months looking for a substitute, with no success. I approached the salesman and asked him to please check if this fabric was still available. He did an extensive search and said that it was, and that they had 38 yards. We only needed 26. Our client was delighted that this fabric was available.
To express my appreciation for his efforts, I penned a note on the back of a postcard and sent it to him. The results were amazing. The postcard traveled through the company from the mailroom, to the sales manager, to the president of the company and finally ended up in the hand of the salesman who had assisted me. He became a big hero. This story traveled, and I heard about it from many different sources.
This technique may seem old-fashioned, since we now have so many more modern systems of communication, but it really makes an impression.
Our world would be so much better if we take a few minutes, using our best penmanship, to express thanks.