I Appreciate YOU
We all know how it feels when someone appreciates us. We take care of a neighbor’s pet and a gift certificate ends up at our door step. We drive someone to the airport to save our friend parking costs and receive a restaurant voucher ‘dinner for two’. We take in the mail for our next door neighbor and a batch of delicious brownies is hand delivered. All of these examples are indicators of appreciation.
In today’s marketplace and with competition more fierce than ever before, appreciating clients or prospective clients is the singular most effective way to insure a sustainable relationship. With so many choices today of where to spend our money and with whom, I believe those individuals who deliver the most value end up with the biggest rewards: endorsements, loyalty and referrals. We can all do a better job in expressing appreciation.
The most common way to acknowledge someone for service is to say, “Thank you”. It’s kind, it’s common and courteous. We seem to say it automatically and because it’s so matter of fact, one expects to be thanked. “Thanks for holding the door open.” “Thanks for taking care of my bank issue.” “Thanks for resolving an online issue.” Saying “Thank you” is easy and requires no effort at all.
As for me, I’d like to suggest making a slight adjustment to this old, tried and true message. Instead of saying, “Thank you”, I encourage you to say, “I appreciate you, _______” and use the person’s name. In retail spaces, banks, restaurants and other public places, it’s quite common for clerks, wait staff and others in the service industries to have on a personalized name tag. That being said, there are multiple opportunities to thank someone by stating their name and expressing appreciation.
Do you appreciate the person who mans the counter at 7 am so you can drop off your laundry on the way to work? Do you appreciate the customer service representative that deals with your frustrating situation timely and efficiently? Do you express appreciation to the person in the grocery store who walks with you to find the item you can’t seem to locate? Do you thank the person who facilitates a new client through his or her contacts? Do you take time to let the manager of a restaurant know about great service?
Consider shifting from “Thank you” to I appreciate you, _____________” and see what happens! You’ll be amazed at the response. You’ll feel great. The recipient will feel valued. You’ll stand out from everyone else who takes for granted all who help along the way because most individuals are too busy, too distracted, seem entitled or don’t even realize the big impact small gestures can have. The more you choose to appreciate others, the more others will choose to appreciate you. It just works out that way.
