Here at Cheney Insurance Agency (CIA), we have several operational habits we are holding on to quite tightly, especially 
during this period of rapid change and constant technological advances.
One of these is our tendency to send out regular hand-written note cards to friends, clients, prospects, vendors, and others. We all know it is a good thing to do, and that people really do appreciate the time and effort it takes to actually hand write and mail a letter. The reality, however, is that we are all very busy and it is just too easy to let your good intentions get lost in the busy work of each day.
I believe strongly in creating systematic approaches to ensure we stay on task, and we make our Hand Written Note Cards work at our company this way: Each month our Support Team places a fresh CCFG Note Card and envelope on the desk of every staff member. That is their signal to find an appropriate recipient, to write that person a Thank You or other message, to address that envelope and turn it in to our Receptionist–who then records that one card for each employee who submits one. A careful record is maintained so that I always know whether some employees are “behind” in their efforts, and I can also see who has created a “cushion” for themselves by sending more than one each month.
The result is that every person who works at Cheney Insurance remains focused on the importance of maintaining a personal touch, while we collectively send at least 130 personalized note cards each year. When is the last time you received a hand-written note from someone you do business with?
Dennis H. Hilton, President
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Great practice, Dennis! And no surprise from a company like Cheney where the focus is on strong relationships with those you serve. People do notice the effort put into a handwritten card. Do you know that 97% of the mail we receive (snail mail that is) is NOT personal? So the personalized cards really stand out. Isn’t that the first thing we open when we collect our mail? Keep up the good work!