(If you like this article and wish to pass it along to someone else, please use our on-line form)

A paper and pen guy

How it relates to customer service

Someone recently told me I was a “paper and pen” guy. When asked for clarification, this person said that I was old school and instead of doing as much as I could digitally, I would use paper and pen to take notes.

It goes much further than that for me. I am a firm believer that certain things never go out of style; like a woman or man who makes a point to dress nicely; a person who opens doors for others; and a person who makes a point to acknowledge someone or say, “thank you”.

I do make a point to write notes to people I meet. I use a linen card and envelope along with a fountain pen. But enough about my preferences and being a “paper and pen guy” is more than just writing notes.

There is a person who is the president of a nationwide wholesaler that I have been fortunate to know. Every time we see each other at an industry event, I make a point to follow up with one of my handwritten note cards to let this person know I enjoyed the visit and appreciate the friendship.

With our last visit this person let me know they have saved every note I have ever sent. They said this collection of notes was a reminder to do something special for those they interacted with.

Then, as retailers, we have customers. We have worked hard to earn their business and hopefully gaining their business was more than having sale prices. Hopefully, it was gained by attention to details; not just by you as an owner or manager. We hope it occurs by the way you teach your employees and the use of technology.

Think about a customer who enjoys malbec wines in a higher price range. Hopefully with your technology you are doing more than just capturing the customer’s phone number and the total dollar amount they spend as your way of having that basic loyalty program.

So, if you do track this information, you may find you have 50 people who fit this category. For most, having a special event for 50 people may require more room than you have. Experiment with making this into multiple groups depending on what you have found your response rate to be.

You can send a written note (email and social media invitations are so 2023!) to invite these customers. You, as the owner, are hosting an event which is both a class and a sampling. Customers need to know and see the owner, not just another salesperson from a distributor. Let the customer invite a friend. You will likely find the person they bring is of the same socioeconomic status.

When you look at other areas of retail – hardware, pharmacy, clothing, furniture and office supplies – as examples, you find independents competing with chain stores and price focused retailers by emulating what the mass merchants are doing. It starts with having a computerized phone system instead of letting a person answer the phone which would be more representative of an independent’s appeal to customers. This seems to be in the same vein as an article we read recently that predicted customer service was going to improve with artificial intelligence.

As one customer, I will gladly accept that badge of old school if it means I am going to shop with a business that recognizes customers as individuals. It is like the paper and pen comment; individualized customer service is never going to go out of style and no business that is working to attract customers on price is going to match you.

If you would like to send this article to someone you know, please use this form to forward this page:

Your Name:	E-Mail:
Friend's Name:	E-Mail:
	Security Code:

This article is copyrighted by Tom Shay and Profits Plus Solutions, who can be reached at: PO Box 128, Dardanelle, AR. 72834. Phone 727-823-7205. It may be printed for an individual to read, but not duplicated or distributed without expressed written consent of the copyright owner.