A few years ago, never mind how many, I was compelled to take action by a barrage of Comcast commercials. The advertised pricing was attractive, the featured channels offered great programming, and the packages they touted would have allowed me to receive more content for a bit less than I was already paying.
When I called, the helpful young lady on the phone told me that I didn’t qualify for the offer because I was “an existing customer.” The offers, she explained, were only for new customers. What’s more, she said the words “existing customer” the way other people would describe an offensive odor.
Tarnished as I was with the label “existing customer,” I was left to contemplate my decade-long association with Comcast. I could not help but wonder how a company as successful as Comcast could relegate me and my ilk to something of an unpleasant variety, worthy of dismissal. In the span of a few short sentences, I was made to feel foolish for my loyalty. I was made to feel less than.
I resolved at that point that I would never treat my clients that way. My experience with Comcast taught me the importance of taking a step back from the never-ending search for new clients and contacts to appreciate the people who allowed me to build my business in the first place. I guess you could say that I resolved to give thanks. More than that, I resolved to give thanks only after having taken the time to really appreciate the clients, vendors, advisors, and friends who, day in and day out, play such a huge role in every success we enjoy as a company.
So to those who read our blog, come to our Drink and Thinks, subscribe to our Not By The Book e-mail series, thank you. To those who have used these interactions to become clients and friends of the firm, I offer not only my thanks, but my promise as well:
Never, and I mean never will we prioritize new business over old friends. Even while seeking to extend our reach, we will never place current clients in the position of wishing they had just joined us rather than having honored us with their business over the years.
Never will we express or demonstrate anything other than sincere gratitude for our “existing customers.”
Please accept our best wishes for a happy (and reflective) Thanksgiving.