Jeffrey,

I still prefer letter-writing. I tip and thank, face-to-face, the waitress and/or desk clerk.

I take the establishment business card. I Google the CFO, CEO, C

Oh! and locate their head office (Usually in



Ohio

for some reason!). I write the CO describing in, narrative style, WHY I’m writing, no fancy editing either, just from the heart to the keyboard. I ask the CO to forward my letter to the local manager. They usually do.

I once wrote to K-Mart after being “brought home” safely behind a semi-trailer for 90 minutes. (I was of course, well back, and impressed with the no-brake smooth driving). Turns out it was only a K-Mart **TRAILER**. The tractor, and hence the driver, was from a different company. The CFO of K-mart writes to the other company saying “Look at this! Your driver made us look good”. Exponential compliments flowed like, well, compliments!

Most sincerely

Chris Greaves

Jeffrey,

Great newsletter! Thank you so much! (yes, I am tipping you, but you deserve it!)

Kirk Bates


Cleveland
,

TN



“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” by Jim Elliot

Jeffrey,

Earn great service in advance.

When in the pursuit of excellence, especially in sales, you can create an environment that separates you from the rest of the field. Many presentations are discussed over a meal. Taking a prospect or customer to lunch or dinner is a way to come together in a spirit of friendship, breaking bread together to create or strengthen a relationship. To ensure that your prospect has a great impression I have done the following: I talk to the manager or owner of the restaurant where the meeting will be held ahead of the time. I explain I am bringing a very important client to lunch/dinner at their establishment because their establishment will create the environment I would want to be associated with; nice ambience, great food, superior service. I give them my credit card ahead of time so that when the meal is over I will not have to be bothered with the bill. I also guarantee the server a 20% tip. This negates the possibility of that ever present “awkward moment” when the bill comes and everyone wonder’s “Who’s paying?” You can always grab it and insist and your guest will thank you. But the more impressive approach is getting up after the meal is done and hearing your client ask, “Where’s the bill?” It is at that time you can say, “It has been taken care of.”

This “tipping method” leaves the restaurant, knowing the bill has already be taken care of with a guaranteed 20% tip, more likely get you great service, a great meal and a great experience for you and your guest. These little things can create a great impression of you by your client.

After the meeting, make sure you send a note of thanks to the owner, manager and server, and a verbal “Thank you” also. They will always remember you and take great care of you as you take care of them and you know you’ll always have a great place to take clients.

Thanks,

Dennis R. Buckley, D.C.

Hi Jeffrey,

As a “new to you” reader, I found the latest edition about service tips great! I work at the


Charlotte


Airport

and see Jeffrey all the time and I could agree more about our skycaps. They are great guys!

As for a “tip” from my daily life, I would just expand on his #1. SMILE! It is truly an international language. I work at the bank here and many times our foreign travelers don’t speak much- if any- English. This makes communicating difficult. Sometimes they only need to find the restrooms or change currency but they don’t know what I am saying and I don’t know what they’re saying…it makes for a pretty entertaining conversation actually. It can also be very frustrating. I’ve found the solution….SMILE! Somehow it always works out then. It cuts the tension and eliminates frustration. I think Jeffrey hit the nail on the head with tip #1. SMILE!

Thanks!

Dave

Jeffrey,

I am officially titled “Area Manager” (that is Medicare approved speak for sales rep) for a wonderful home health company. Many of the doctor offices are inundated with the same type of folks daily if not multiple times on a daily basis. Some offices are much more guarded than others with regard to sales reps and understandably so. I have been on the other side of the desk as a long term care administrator. There is a lot of work to do and not nearly enough time to do it, so my empathy for my customer’s time crunch is significant. I truly do appreciate the staff for the climate of caring they bring to their work. I decided I wanted to make sure their bosses, the doctors, were more aware of their personnel assets. I took fresh flower bouquets addressed to the doctor. Attached was a note sincerely extolling the virtues of his/her staff naming names and attributes. One doctor read my note out loud smiled then joked back with his staff and claimed “You paid her to write such nice things.” The outcome: …you can imagine.

Sincerely,

Mary Thoma

Oklahoma City
,

OK

Jeffrey,