The Heart of a Company
Business to Consumer (B2C) sales is a unique industry. Over the past 15-20 years consumers have changed HOW they buy with the emergence of e-commerce and Internet shopping, but they have not changed so much with regards to WHO they buy from. We all search for great prices and look for bargains, but at the end of the day we are all still human and still crave great customer service. We all still want a person who cares to help us and tell us everything is taken care of and make us a happy customer.
Unfortunately many business leaders do not understand the importance of customer service and the human touch. At my former company something unique happened one time that reinforced this like I had never seen. Early in the company I directed the employees to put a piece or two of hard candy in the orders. At first I thought this was just a little touch that customers would receive and enjoy as a surprise–something they did not expect. What I did not expect was this quickly became a hit and customers looked forward to such a simple treat added to their order. In fact, we commonly joked about how we would hear about it on social media if we forgot to include the candy!
About a year into the business we hired a person who was a bit of an artist and one day he doodled on a customer’s order. This customer posted a picture of their order doodle on social media and it took off. Customers began to request pictures on their orders or tell jokes in the comments section of their orders. What I observed was remarkable and I had to ask myself, “Why is this such a big deal?” I then realized that this was an interaction between our customers and the employees. An interaction between two people who have never met or spoken. I realized this act told the customer AND the employee there was a human on each side of this order. Employees started to do things like recognize what was requested. I recall numerous times that customers commented about having a bad day or rough time, or even that they had lost someone and the employees would often pass the order around and write notes on it. It was an amazing touch I witnessed and one that I’ll never forget.
The same goes for supporting important causes or what some call “corporate responsibility”. I have never cared for that term because corporate responsibility doesn’t have emotion to me. The emotion, heart, and care that comes from a company is from the people. Without employees who care, a company is just a cold building with no life. Whether it’s raising money to feed the homeless or to raise money for a veteran’s organization, the people in the company and the customers that patronize it are what make the heart beat and the blood flow, allowing for emotions.
The heart of a company is an important thing to not lose. If you are not honest with your customers it will haunt you. The heart of a company is what keeps customer service levels high and customers happy. You shouldn’t strive to make customers happy, you should strive to make happy customers.
Unfortunately many business leaders do not understand the importance of customer service and the human touch. At my former company something unique happened one time that reinforced this like I had never seen. Early in the company I directed the employees to put a piece or two of hard candy in the orders. At first I thought this was just a little touch that customers would receive and enjoy as a surprise–something they did not expect. What I did not expect was this quickly became a hit and customers looked forward to such a simple treat added to their order. In fact, we commonly joked about how we would hear about it on social media if we forgot to include the candy!
About a year into the business we hired a person who was a bit of an artist and one day he doodled on a customer’s order. This customer posted a picture of their order doodle on social media and it took off. Customers began to request pictures on their orders or tell jokes in the comments section of their orders. What I observed was remarkable and I had to ask myself, “Why is this such a big deal?” I then realized that this was an interaction between our customers and the employees. An interaction between two people who have never met or spoken. I realized this act told the customer AND the employee there was a human on each side of this order. Employees started to do things like recognize what was requested. I recall numerous times that customers commented about having a bad day or rough time, or even that they had lost someone and the employees would often pass the order around and write notes on it. It was an amazing touch I witnessed and one that I’ll never forget.
The same goes for supporting important causes or what some call “corporate responsibility”. I have never cared for that term because corporate responsibility doesn’t have emotion to me. The emotion, heart, and care that comes from a company is from the people. Without employees who care, a company is just a cold building with no life. Whether it’s raising money to feed the homeless or to raise money for a veteran’s organization, the people in the company and the customers that patronize it are what make the heart beat and the blood flow, allowing for emotions.
The heart of a company is an important thing to not lose. If you are not honest with your customers it will haunt you. The heart of a company is what keeps customer service levels high and customers happy. You shouldn’t strive to make customers happy, you should strive to make happy customers.
So true Troy! And I was there as a customer watching this amazing interaction with your employees.
They learned this from a great leader!
Watching you stand tall, proud, and having faith in what you believe in is so remarkable. Watching the interaction on that page, and also in my orders. It’s amazing.
Keep being amazing!
You are the best! You have so many qualities that most business lack. That human, personal touch. With those superior qualities you will always succeed regardless of what venture you are involved in.
This is why you will be successful no matter where you are, why people trust you and will follow you – you understand the importance not only of customer service but TRUE human connection. It’s not always about credits or helping reset a password in a positive manner – it’s about having a REAL interaction with your fellow person.
What a upbeat post with all that is going on in the world now! What a great, thoughtful company!
I whole heartily agree with you Troy.
This is absolutely true. We fell in love with 651/143 because we felt like you all cared for your customers. You were a very important part of this and a part we miss…I miss. I will never understand why you left but you built that company along with the amazing employees who cares enough to make us feel like family. You made us a part of that business / family and it did matter that’s why the company grew like it did. I am with you for the long haul because I know you care. You are why that company became what it was. Stand proud cause you got it.
These simple acts of human interaction was exactly why I used company exclusively! Thank you for fostering this and for encouraging your team to just simply, be kind
This is so true! Thank you Troy.
It’s the little things that make a customer feel special and welcome. It creates that family-like relationship that brings customers back again and again. Good customer service is the key to a good business; which is why your company became so successful.
So beautifully written troy. Great customer service and those 2 pieces of candy is why I always ordered from you. You were a true blessing. Keep doing what you do and do not change for anyone!
Well said and 100% agree.
Totally agree with this. I know that there are places that might have been a tiny bit cheaper, but it was that company service that kept me going back!
We’ll put and very true 😊
Beautifully written truth.
Troy what a great insight. It has an enormous impact to connect or be connected with positively especially when faced with difficult ties like 2020 has brought . Thanks for sharing.
Love every word of this! I have never been so invested in a company as I was with your former company and like you said, it was the personal touch. I loved the candy. Something so small and simple, always made me smile. I loved the personal notes and drawings. It was always something I anticipated. Aside from all that, we knew there was someone there to help us always. Whether we called or posted on social media or sent an email, someone who cared, always got right back to us. I hope you’ll experience that wherever you go because you helped build that feeling in all of us.
Troy, you are missed at your former company. Glad I found you here. We do all crave that human interaction, that acknowledgement.