I was recently booking yet another flight for yet another trip and I realized that I was on the verge of yet another year of 100,000+ domestic miles and 100+ domestic segments on United (through August).  This is significant in that it was just about one year ago that my loyalty to United was severely challenged by a gate agent in Sacramento who felt the need to treat me poorly and make an example of me rather than help me.  I had even gone so far as to call Delta Airlines to see if they would like to extend “status” to a competitor’s loyal customer in the effort to win my business.

Shortly thereafter, I was on another United flight on which I was not upgraded—no big deal—and I was sitting in the “back of the bus” in the exit row.  After about an hour or so, the flight attendant came back to me and thanked me for being a 100K Flyer and offered me a complimentary cocktail.  Although a bit embarrassing, I thought that was a nice touch and made a mental note of it.  A few hours later, the same flight attendant came by to check in again and this time he handed me a business card (from the Captain of the plane) with the following note hand-written on the back:

Mr. Layo,
Good morning sir.  Great to have you aboard Flight 381 to Sacramento today.  As a 100K flier, you are truly a loyal customer and a good friend to United Airlines.  For all of your business, my crew and I are sincerely grateful.  I hope you are relaxed and comfortable on this trip.

Best Wishes and Regards
Captain Dru Bradley
United Airlines

Understand that I am up in the “friendly skies” more than your average traveler.  This is the FIRST TIME (and the last time) that someone has gone out of their way to thank me and to make me feel important.  And you know what?  It worked!  I have stayed with United as a frequent flier using them more than any other airline for my travels.  I also have shared this special handwritten card story with hundreds of people in my workshops and seminars across North America in the past year.  That’s pretty good free PR for United don’t you think?  It is worthy to also let you know that other airlines send me generic birthday cards, drink certificates, upgrade certificates, etc. as a thank you and those feel good to get and validate my decision to do business with them.  However, I feel that anyone and everyone gets this kind of treatment by design.  Important?  No doubt!  Impactful?  Definitely not as much. 

I do want to make it clear that the majority of what I receive in the line of service from United Airlines (or any other airline for that matter) pretty much stinks.  I truly believe that the airline industry is the poster child for indifference towards their customers.  They are riddled with front line employees that are not empowered to care for the customer and they are driven by policies that are anything BUT customer friendly! 

But ONE touch like this can make a huge difference!  Imagine if you multiplied that times many people in your company who do these things with many of your valued customers.  The results could be staggering.

The power of the personal touch is so strong and literally, so simple.  From whom and from where can these touches come from in your organization?  To whom should you direct these personal touches?  What types of touches are appropriate and what types may not be?  All good questions!  Here are a few thoughts:

CEOs:
Identify a few of your top salespeople and take the time to handwrite them a heartfelt note thanking them for facing the battle every day for you. The economic environment is requiring more from everyone and it takes a lot more effort today just to get the same results as yesterday.  These warriors fight your fight every day and need to be reminded that you honor and respect their efforts.  Follow up that note with a personal invitation to them and their spouse for a low-key dinner with you and yours.  Make it abundantly clear to BOTH them and their spouse that you are thankful for their sacrifices that they make to make your company a better one.

Salespeople:
Identify your Top 12 Customers heading into this Thanksgiving (it’s almost here you know) and hand-write them a personal message similar to this:

“Here we are nearing the end of yet another calendar year with Thanksgiving quickly approaching.  Every year at this time, I look back and take stock of the valuable business relationships that I have and look ahead to the upcoming year with a focus on those with whom I am fortunate enough to do business.  Again this year, I find you on both of those lists.  As we close out a challenging year, I wish you and your family a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving.  I look forward to working with you to close out 2009 strong and to head into a better 2010!”

Do you think that they just might feel a little more important with a note like that? 

Salespeople again (You stand to lose the most if customers leave. Right?): 
Who is it on the inside of your company that touches your customers?  Who do you work with that makes you a hero in the eyes of your customer?  Who needs to hear your praises and feel your love?  Identify a few key people inside your organization that help you look good and/or deliver on your promises.  Find out some information about them and their families and do a little something special for them.  Again, it could be a handwritten note or a special little custom something that shows that you listened and that you care. 

Fact: You are on the top or the bottom of someone’s to-do list every day.  Which end do you want to be on?  It’s up to you more than you think.

These special little touches don’t really cost you anything.  They don’t take a lot of time.  What they do take is some thought and some caring. Such a little thing can mean so much to the other party—inside or outside your company.

So, which of your customers is looking at your competition right now?  How many of your frequent fliers are looking into other options?  When the economy gets tighter, customers get a wandering eye.  And customers that already start making moves to switch are very difficult to win back.  Get proactive with this!  Do it now!  Every lost customer hurts even more in a down economy!  These are the sales, the revenues, and the profits that you were counting on!   As Andy Groves (CEO of INTEL) says, we all need to have a little bit of healthy paranoia today.  Sometimes the best time to tell someone you care about them is “before someone else does!”