It’s Not Business, It’s Personal
Times have certainly changed. I remember how I used to run excitedly to greet the postman and collect the mail straight from his hands when I was a kid. With many of my older siblings living abroad, I used to scan the envelope to see who had sent us news, where the stamp was from, and marvel at the “pretty ones” I did not yet have in my collection.
With the internet, I now keep in touch with my friends and family via emails. Excitement isn’t the word I’d use to describe how I feel when collecting the mail from the postbox now, as they are generally computer generated bills.
There’s one exception though…I do enjoy opening one bill. They come from one of my suppliers in South Australia. But here is what is different about the bills he sends as opposed to the other bills I get - he always attaches a personalised handwritten note. The last one said “Kathleen, thanks for the business. Hope all going well in Vic. Beautiful weather here.”
A simple, but nice touch. His service stands out because of the level of personalisation. For a small business, goodwill and rapport counts for a lot. Not only is it a good way to brand your business, it creates a personal relationship with your customers. Wouldn’t you do business with someone you liked personally who also delivered a good service?