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Per the podcast on thank you notes a while back, I've been using them quite a bit for the past year or so and people love them.

As Mark said, "It is NEVER too late to say thank you to someone - NEVER." That thought hit me as I recently passed my 20 year milestone with my current company. I realized I never sent the people who interviewed me thank you notes. One went on to become the CEO and is now retired, the other is an EVP. So I told myself "Self, you own some thank yous." I wrote them out (per the MT format) a few weeks ago and got them out.

Last night as I was getting in my car, the EVP changed course as he was walking through the parking lot. He headed over to talk to me. I rolled down the window and asked "What can I do for you?" He smiled, shook my hand and said "Thanks for the note." "You're welcome, I'm glad to be here" was my reply. "A wise man told me that it's never too late to say thank you. I appreciate you selecting me all those years ago."

That was a great ending to my work day!

HMac's picture

Chuck: GREAT story! :lol:

-Hugh

WillDuke's picture
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What an awesome story. Thanks for starting my day off so nicely!

AManagerTool's picture

*Grumbles and buys thank you notes*

I was kind of counting on the "It's been so long" excuse. Well, I guess that I got no excuses anymore.

Nice story...thanks.

asteriskrntt1's picture

I wish we heard more of these success stories - so easy to do, so hard to follow through on.

I just gave dollar store thank you notes to the 4 admin staff at the college where I teach part time. The Dean's assistant, who has been there 25 years, said it was the first thank you card she ever received.

Took all of four minutes, not including the walk to the dollar store.

Keep sharing everyone, we all grow from it.

*RNTT

tlhausmann's picture
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I recently received a thank you note in the mail...postage due. :lol:

Nevertheless, the person said thank you--in writing--and I remember.

mauzenne's picture
Admin Role Badge

Great story, Chuck!

And yes, from personal experience, I know how well you do with thank you notes ... Well done!

Mike

MattJBeckwith's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

Chuck, that's great. Thanks for sharing.

Congrats on 20 years at your company.

GlennR's picture

I'm responsible for developing Customer Management Resources for the staff in our organization. As we evolve to a more customer-focused organization, one of the little things we've done is to have our COO send a one-page letter to each new hire welcoming him or her to the company. Enclosed is a set of six thank you notes and envelopes with our logo on them. One paragraph in the letter explains why relationships are so important to us and it encourages the new hires to use them and then to reorder more.

Meanwhile our CEO personally signs a "Happy Anniversary" card to each employee on his or her anniversary. Both tasks are managed by administrative assistants. Once a year we redesign the anniversary cards so that no one gets the same one twice.

Feedback has been extremely positive. If you can use these ideas, please feel free to do so.

HMac's picture

GlennR -

Great ideas. It reminds me that I've had a longheld habit of calling members on my team on their employment anniversaries to wish them well and to thank them for their contributions for the past year. And in a heavily-matrixed environment, I'm often the only person to note their employment date (their "real" boss doesn't...).

I've never been much of a "Happy Birthday" person (ok, ok..I need to get over it :oops: ), so I sort of backed into the anniversary calls. Based on peoples' reactions, they mean a lot.

-Hugh

sklosky's picture

Chuck,

Great story.

I have a story to share.

Recently, a maintenance person left my manager a handwritten note after fixing some items in his room. Along with the note, there was a chocolate wrench. My manager was very happy with this personal attention he received. He was interested in doing something similar within our company.

Connecting the dots, I suggested that the company write more handwritten notes (like thank you notes) to our business associates (both internal and external).

While this company doesn't move as fast as an individual, my manager likes this idea. We're in the process of putting a handwritten note program together. I currently have drafted the program guidelines. We are in the process of getting this reviewed and approved through the necessary company channels.

Regards,
Steve