Saran Wrap

It’s not just for Dexter anymore

Clearly, I watch too much Dexter, and Criminal Minds, and CSI and every other graphic cop show in America. Because I’m sitting in front of the screen and thinking…Saran Wrap. Wow. What if we could bind up our client relationships that securely?

By which I do not mean to suggest actual hostage-taking. However, it’s clear that we can expand the Saran Wrap metaphor to a deeper understanding of the value of binding strong client relationships through multiple touch points.

Multiple touch points don’t always require multiple products. In many cases, more frequent phone contact or personal visits build loyalty far more successfully than adding another SKU to the warehouse. Checking in with the customer, connecting with multiple layers of the client organization, even checking about their preferred form of contact…all add to the client’s sense of being more than a number and, certainly, not taken for granted.

So what does a company do if its product line is focused and there are relatively few opportunities to meet with each client? It never hurts to find a service that adds little cost and links customers through something other than the product flow.

I’m a donor to Clearbrook, which provides residential and other services for developmentally disabled people and their families. I’m fortunate not to require any of Clearbrook’s services, so how can this organization earn a higher spot in my annual giving? Recently, they’ve invited me to business networking sessions where, along with other supporters, I get a chance to talk shop with people who could become connections.

Does business networking have anything to do with Clearbrook’s services? Probably not. Does it have something to do with customer loyalty? Absolutely. As a donor, I am a customer. In return for my money, I get to feel good about myself. However, that can be said with any charitable giving. Here, Clearbrook is differentiating itself by giving something back, even if it’s just social time.

Tying clients more tightly to an organization is a relatively inexpensive process. All that’s needed is a sense of what adds to a relationship and the willingness to reach out through tools other than e-mail and FaceBook.