There’s a man by the name of Tony Grech\u00a0 who owns and runs Grecko Printing & Imaging. Tony’s print shop is one of the busiest in the area. Whenever I walk into his store, he calls me by name as he greets me. At first, I thought I was someone he particularly liked. We had discovered… we were of the same nationality, Maltese, and his last name was the same as my uncle’s.<\/p>\n
However, I soon discovered that he was genuinely friendly with all of his customers<\/a>. He knows the majority of them by name, and if he doesn’t know a person’s name, he finds out immediately by asking. Many times there is a line of people waiting to speak with Tony or one of his assistants.<\/p>\n It doesn’t matter how long the line is, because as soon as that door opens and a customer walks in, he or she is acknowledged. If it will be a couple of minutes before Tony can get to the customer, he lets the person know. He thanks each one for understanding. The people wait patiently, because they know they will get the same personable attention. When a customer leaves, he or she is also given a cheerful goodbye.<\/p>\n What Tony and his staff are doing is helping their customers feel important. They want their customers<\/a> to feel like they are somebody special. And as Tony says, “They are somebody special; they are my customers.”<\/p>\n So, in summary, greeting and acknowledging your customers will build lifetime relationships<\/a>.<\/p>\n – Tom<\/em><\/p>\n So often, small business owners and managers overlook the little things that mean so much to their customers<\/a>. Running a small business is like running a marathon; yet, some people run it like it was a 50-yard dash. They are in such a hurry to get to the finish line that the customer or client’s real needs and wants are overlooked.<\/p>\n Successful business owners<\/a> realize that they are running a race, and this race is 26 miles 386 yards long. They know that in order to be a winner, they must take care of the “little things” throughout the entire race. Like the saying goes, “Being successful should never be confused with remaining successful.” Successful business owners realize that they are in business for the long haul, not just the short ride. To apply this concept in your small business:<\/p>\n 1. Take note of all the little things that are important to your customers<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2. Set up a system to make sure these expectations are met.<\/p>\n Your customers and clients will thank you by doing business with you for a long, long time.<\/p>\n – Tom<\/em><\/p>\n