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Great customer service with lollipops

By Becky McCray

Handwritten note with lollipopsThe Mem Store shipped my order promptly and correctly. That’s the essential first step. Then Debbie hand wrote a thank you note on my packing slip, and used my name. That’s a bonus. Plus she threw in two lollipops! Now I’m delighted. And raving about it to you.

Remember these lessons of great customer service, courtesy of Debbie and The Mem Store.

  1. Do the basics well. Be on time, accurate, complete.
  2. Use customers’ names.
  3. Hand write a note.
  4. Give customers a bonus.

Anybody want a lollipop?

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About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
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  • How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
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  • Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
  • Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
  • Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
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January 27, 2007 Filed Under: customer service

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Comments

  1. Owen says

    January 27, 2007 at 10:47 pm

    I think this is a GREAT idea. Something we were thinking of doing here at Oprius is making some cookies to send to people with our logo in it:
    http://blog.josephhall.com/2006/11/sugar-cookies.html

    These would go out to our product advisory board who have all volunteered to help make our software leaps and bounds ahead of our competition.

    Another thought is to get them something from here:
    http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/
    They help us with our software, and we send them something from 10K Villages which helps the 3rd world. Everybody wins!

    Thanks for the blog post which helps me get off my butt and actually do this! Now…. cookies or 10K Villages… hmmmmm

  2. Becky McCray says

    January 28, 2007 at 4:39 am

    Owen, you’re right, as usual. Add this to the list of lessons:
    actually DO it!

    Back in March, Chris Brogan gave some more ideas to empower your fans by giving them a bonus. And of course I promptly quoted him.

  3. Char says

    January 28, 2007 at 1:30 pm

    Food is always a great bonus. My kids always make sure I go to the bank branch with the best goodies.

  4. Becky McCray says

    January 28, 2007 at 8:05 pm

    Great example, Char. Amazing how we are influenced by these little things, once the basics are there.

  5. Douglas says

    January 31, 2007 at 9:35 pm

    Wow, I had a similar experience with them and also wrote about it.

    Check out my post on the subject:
    http://www.serviceuntitled.com/look-mom-i-got-a-lollipop/2007/01/30/

  6. Becky McCray says

    February 2, 2007 at 12:18 am

    Hi, Douglas! This is a great example of how going the extra step can create excitement in your customers.
    Thanks for sharing your experience, too.

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