The Extra Foot

Sometimes, little actions can go a long way. About a month ago I bought a pair of shoes at Brooks Brothers. Yesterday I got a hand addressed, hand written note in the mail from the salesperson I dealt with thanking me for coming in the store and letting me know to contact her if I ever needed anything else (she also enclosed her business card). While I'm used to getting and immediately discarding the mounds of junk mail that I get on a daily basis, receiving this note really knocked me out.

There aren't many chains that will send you a hand written note these days and this salesperson took the time to follow up on her sale in a very classy way that reflects well not just on her but on the company she works for. I'm not a huge fan of Brooks Brothers so I don't know when I'll be back in the store again, but I know that with this small gesture this person has built up some memorable positive equity with me that will make me more likely to return.

One of my favorite quotes about business actually comes from a former baseball player, Lou Piniella, who's now the manager of the Chicago Cubs. I don't remember the exact statement but when asked what makes a great ballplayer he said it's how well you do the small things. So, when you're in a service industry like we are, you don't have to always go the extra mile. Sometimes the extra foot will do just fine.