'gift' for someone on your team

Would be interested to hear if anyone buys the odd 'gift' for someone repeatedly doing awesome work for you, like a selling agent, broker etc. I know they already get paid but some of these people do a standout job and worth their weight in gold. I'm not talking cash or a massive gift, more about goodwill and wanting to promote an ongoing working relationship. Would love to hear what people have done previously.

 

My clients want to make me a fat alcoholic but it's awesome. It's not so much the actual gifts but the thought behind it that is appreciated.

Also, word of mouth referrals. It means they trust me enough (and I of someone I may be referring) to put personal reputation at stake.

 

Thanks Kinnon. That's what I meant. I only see meet this person by phone though so would have to do it by post which would be awkward. Hope they wouldn't feel slightly disturbed if I sent a gift, thinking I'm a weird stalker or something? Do clients sometimes send gifts to you, or just the ones you meet face to face?

 

I find that a good gift to give is referring further business, I'm sure this would promote goodwill and help cement an ongoing business relationship.

 

Thanks, I've definitely been doing that. It's a double edged sword though because I really don't want to lose this person because I told everyone how great they are

 

Both. Most recent was an "Australia's Best Restaurants" gift voucher from a client down in Melb.

 

I like presents, giving and receiving. In my current role I've given Haighs Chocs (SA icon) and have received wine, champagne, gift hampers, Charlesworth (another SA icon) hampers. Its nice being appreciated sometimes.

 

Either way it will be appreciated.

My heartstrings always get plucked when I recieve a thankyou gift.

Just do it as it will be appreciated, even more so through the mail.

 

I only think it would be weird if you were sending the likes of underwear. Which for a business relationship would be weird by post or in person. Nothing wrong with sending pastries/fruit/flowers/wine etc. I like receiving fruit hampers. It's always the best quality and type of fruit. Strawberries and grapes - not a grapefruit! It's also more easily shared between the people that you are recognising.

 

An accountant sent us some chocolates this year. Never met her, but we helped her out with a tricky problem on a property she owned. They weren't cheap supermarket chocolates, either. She had gone out of her way to get them and then couriered them. The gang loved it.

 

I think it's important to recognise the efforts of people who go above and beyond for you - a surprise pressy is always nice (who doesn't like that?!) but a raving fan who tells all their friends is the best thank you gift ever.

 

I too show my appreciation through "gifts". Our Brisbane property manager went the extra mile for us from the beginning. She did all the open inspections before we purchased, did the pre-settlement inspection, pick-up keys, arranged quotes for renovation and signed up a tenant right after settlement. So to show our appreciation, bought her a bottle of Champagne at our first meeting, then sent her flowers & Choc on her birthday. It's my way of saying "Thank You"!

 

[QUOTE="Depreciator, post: 268840, member: 13"The gang loved it.[/QUOTE]
While the giver may not understand it, it's often the 'gang' is the reason why the gift was sent. That's why a shareable gift is good.

 

Yes, ideally something that their friends/family will see, giving the person the opportunity to demonstrate to their friends & loved ones that their work is valued by their clients. Not necessarily something that has to be on display in the family home all the time, because your choice of gift might not match decor it he home etc.

I got some really awesome Christmas Tree Decorations one year... Australian animals wearing Santa hats that would be hung on the family Christmas Tree. They were very cute and quite delicate and as such had to be wrapped very gently with cushioning around them and looked great as a present. There were not the sort of thing you'd just find in KMart with all the other usual xmas decorations, they were a bit special. There was a koala, a kookaburra, and a few other animals. They were for a PM who had a young family and the children really loved the animals also. Anyway they were something special for the home, but not something that had to be displayed all the time or that would take up too much room, but would become a nice annual reminder for her that her work is appreciated.



The decorations were accompanied of course by a bottle of liquor for the PM to enjoy with her family and wash away the year's memory of nuisance tenants and such.

Some of the nicest presents out there are not necessarily expensive things, but rather something little but not found in the run of the mill shops... something the person has thought a little bit about and popped in the post with a nice note or card. Things like that are really unexpected and make the person's day.

 

I'm waiting for one of my clients to do this out of appreciation

 

I've put together a half decent wine collection over the years. The problem is I don't drink!

Got the best present ever from a client last month. A Logo Star Wars key chain Stormtrooper !!! Probably cost about $3, but anyone who's visited my office will understand.

The best thing you can do for any small business is to tell your friends about them.

 

It's un likely you will loose them, more likely that you will see more value from them. A referral is gold!