Take the Thank You Letter Challenge, Thanksgiving Edition

This Thursday is Thanksgiving in the United States.

It's traditionally a time to gather with family, enjoy a bountiful feast, and be thankful. One thing I'm always thankful for is customer service.

In past years, I've written posts expressing my gratitude for the many customer service professionals who make a difference in our lives, such as this one thanking all the service professionals who work on Thanksgiving Day.

This year, I'm inviting you to join me in taking the Thank You Letter Challenge.

Image of a person writing a thank you card.

What is the Thank You Letter Challenge?

The challenge is a powerful visualization exercise that asks you to imagine the type of service you'd like to provide to your customers, and then work to make that service a reality.

Terry, a customer service manager, took the challenge a few years ago and shared this with me:

"I did receive a thank you, verbally that was almost verbatim to what I had written down. The letter kept my attitude in the right spot every day and reminded me of the level of customer service I choose to deliver each and every day. It essentially became my mission statement."

Here's how to participate in this year's Thank You Letter Challenge:

  1. Write a thank you letter to yourself that you'd hope to receive from a customer

  2. Read the letter at the start of each day for 21 days

  3. Try to receive a real version of the letter

Customer experience expert, Nate Brown, shared this example with me:

Dear UL EHS,

Thank you for everything you do to make my job better and easier. Because of your technology and your people, I'm able to focus on serving my patients. We can hardly imagine life without you!

Sincerely,
Sara

Nate explained that Sara is the occupational health persona for his company, UL EHS.

Starting on November 28, I'll be doing the challenge with you. Here's the letter I wrote that represents the type of feedback I'd like to receive:

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for helping me get my employees obsessed with service. We have a strong and growing culture, and your assistance is helping us along the way.

A. Client

Stay on Track with Automated Reminders

A challenge like this might inspire you, but it's easy to forget to read your letter during the hectic holiday season. That's why I've created a simple email reminder system.

You'll receive a reminder email each day for 21 days.

Each email will contain a reminder as well as a tip for making your thank you letter become a reality. The emails will simply stop after day 21, so there's no need to unsubscribe. 

You can sign up here.

Thanksgiving Twist: Thank Others

I'm adding a bonus challenge for Thanksgiving. It involves thanking others.

Each day during the 21-day Thank You Letter Challenge, I challenge you to express sincere appreciation to a customer service professional who serves you. You can express your gratitude in a number of ways:

  • Send an email

  • Make a call

  • Thank them them face-to-face

  • Recognize someone by name in a survey

  • Send an old school thank you card

You never know when a small gesture like saying “thank you” can boost someone’s spirits and make their day. It feels great to be recognized for a job well done!

Please let me know how it goes. You can leave a comment or contact me directly to share the results of your Thank You Letter Challenge.