Remember the phrase "Don't take any wooden nickels?" If someone can take something so seemingly worthless as a wooden nickel and create value around it, then there's a lesson there.

Teaching the lesson is none other than my local hardware store, Ace Hardware. If you bring your own bag, or bypass taking one when checking out, they hand you a wooden nickel. You then turn around and go over to a table set up in the store where 3 barrels appear. They are labeled:

Palo Alto Elementary Schools
Palo Alto Middle Schools
Palo Alto High Schools

You drop your nickel into the barrel of your choice, where it makes a satisfying thud. Five cents goes to the schools of your choice.

There are countless retailers offering discounts for bring-your-own-bag green behavior. But I have yet to see one that rewards the customer is such a memorable way. The fact that the barrels are set up away from the checkout and that the customer "owns" the experience of dropping it in is so very smart.

Walking out of the store this morning, I thought to myself "What is Maternal Instinct's wooden nickel?" What is yours? How could you encourage behavior from your clients or customers with a simple act like this?

Labels: customer loyalty

Please leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below, even if -- no, especially if -- you don't agree with what I've written.

Let's face it. We live in an age when customer service is typically so dismal that when someone does something even remotely helpful, we're caught off guard. When someone does something truly helpful, we're speechless.

Such was my experience today when I received this email confirmation from an online merchant, about an hour after I placed an order for a birthday gift for my friend's daughter.

We just wanted you to know how grateful we are for your order and to let you know that since it was a birthday gift, we wrapped it at no charge and made sure it got into the mail today! Hope Ann-Marie enjoys it and that you will give us a chance to do business with you again!

Is your jaw on the floor, as mine was? This merchant took the time to notice three things:

1). I was a first-time customer

2). I was putting my faith in this company to delight someone on a special occasion

3). I hadn't paid the extra charge for gift wrap

They wisely decided it was worth their minimal time and effort to wrap the gift for me. Why? Because I am SURE to do business with them again. And I am sure to tell others (you, dear reader) about it.

Who is the company behind this awesome service, you ask?

A website called Plaid and Stripe that I discovered through a simple Google search. I emailed them back telling them how much I was awed by their service and again got a speedy reply, sent from the owner's iPhone no less:

Thank you VERY much. I am doing everything I can to get my online business up and running and I can use any help possible. I have great relationships with the customers in my shop in Providence and I am determined to exceed that online. Thanks so much.

Small business owners have the advantage (and burden) of doing so much themselves that they can offer this level of high-touch service. But large companies can, too.

How? By hiring can-do people. Creating a corporate atmosphere centered around helpfulness. And building relationships that are personal and customized (notice the merchant referenced my gift recipient by name?). Any size company can do this.

I still smile at the extra-mile service I got from Restoration Hardware a couple of years ago when a single clerk in Portland, Oregon made my son believe in magic by writing "From the North Pole" on every side of the UPS box that arrived from Santa.

Who are the companies that have wowed you with stand-apart service? Comment about them here. It's the very best way to thank them.

Labels: customer loyalty, customer service, personalization, Restoration Hardware

Please leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below, even if -- no, especially if -- you don't agree with what I've written.