A friend has a license to teach a nationally branded form of exercise. He’s been doing it for 25 years, running a successful business of 10 classes/week with 50-100 students per session. It is lucrative for him and the license holder.
He shared that to commemorate his 25 years as one of their most successful licensees they sent him …
A key chain.
It features their logo and a charm that says “25.”
Whoohoo. Don’t you think he feels valued? Special? Appreciated?
Not!
A key chain for 25 years of continuously helping their business succeed?
They are missing an opportunity to not only salute and make an example of one of their longest-term business partners, but a fabulous media opportunity as well.
But instead, they send him a $1.99 keychain.
And to show how clueless the license holder is, they send the same keychain to every licensee at 5-year increments, just with a different number charm on it. So he now has five of these cheap reminders of how little they value his contribution to their success.
One could argue that he is an independent businessman, not an employee. So he shouldn’t be surprised that they don’t make a lot of hoopla over his years of service.
To which I’d reply, “Really? I think we should celebrate the long-time support of anyone who has helped make us successful, whether they be an employee, customer, supplier, or licensee.
What are you doing to show you appreciate and value the people who helped make your business a success? I hope it’s more than a cheap key chain.
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