Most often, the sales force, in contact with the customer, defines a list. This “human” approach is the best because the gift is a “human” link between the company and its customers. Of course we can validate this approach by an accounting analysis!
The Importance of giving Gifts to Customers:
Because if it is obvious that we must reward the best customers we can also take into account the best progress or prospects: we must never neglect the customer who ensures the income of your business but we must think about the future that “the aspiring big client” will be much more sensitive to being already considered as important (especially since you are then in competition with a competitor who until then is its main supplier). You can opt for corporate gifts or custom tote bags.
To define a framework one can draw inspiration from the following ideas:
- Only the top 50 receives a gift. Or classify customers: the top 20 receives a big gift and the top 100 a small gift. In this case, we can if we wish to explain it to the customer “you have entered our top 50; we are pleased to reward you and to assure you of the importance we attach to our good relationship.”
- A distribution of the gift budget according to criteria specific to the company (geographical, by branch)
- Delegation to the sales force: you define a global budget per salesperson according to objective criteria (turnover, progression and / or margin) and leave you free to allocate his budget by simply asking for a report (not to control the choice but to emphasize the importance you give to the gift approach).
How Many Kinds of Gifts?
We are often told that we cannot offer the same gift to the CEO and the little “facilitator” of business (concierge, team leader.). It’s obvious, but the benefit of a gift is that “nobody talks about money!” So do not want to refine the value of the customer or service rendered and the value of the gift. A gift is neither a discount nor a commission. We offer the gift according to who we want to please not according to what receives “his brother”.
The Distribution of Gifts:
Whenever possible, a gift must be delivered by hand. Otherwise it loses some of its symbolic value. When your client usually comes to your home, it is easy to hand over the gift. But out of necessity or to show him your consideration you can also go to his place. It is classically the task (joking) that is entrusted to the commercial but in some cases it is conceivable to involve either the sales manager or the company manager.