It’s never too late to give thanks
By Gordon Hecht, Contributor
I know, I know, Thanksgiving was last month.
But the Thanksgiving I’m talking about is really thanks giving.
Even though some days it seems nothing goes your way, there is always a reason to pass on those kindest of words, “Thank you.” While you probably already thank your buying customers, here are some people you may have missed:
Store Associates: It’s a fact: the number one reason people stay or leave a company is their relationship with their immediate supervisor. Letting your team members know that you appreciate their effort, time and passion will exceed money, prizes, vacations and benefits in retaining great people. You can never tell someone they are doing a fantastic job too many times. Unwarranted praise is phony and plastic; however, spend a little time this week trying to catch someone doing something great!
Your Suppliers: They sell you everything from window washing to linens. Sure, they want to make a buck. But your best suppliers are the ones that understand that they help you make your do-re-mi first and then get paid. Their income depends on your income! When you have world-class resources that work to give you more than your money’s worth, be sure to say thanks.
Factory Trainers and Sales Reps: Sure, it looks like a cushy job from the outside — driving around visiting stores and bringing knowledge and donuts. That’s part of it, but when you think about your vendor trainers, know that they want and need you to be successful and competitive. In the end, they are working for the same thing as you: providing a great retail experience for the people who buy and use our products. If your store is serviced by someone you can call after business hours or on weekends, and stays a few extra hours to schlep around beds and set up P.O.P. displays, then you really have a reason to say thank you.
Our team has its own reasons to say thanks. Our partners include fearless and entrepreneurial retail business owners, innovative vendors and our own internal business partners. We would prefer to be accused of saying thanks too many times than come up short on our appreciation.
Last but certainly not least, we are pleased to provide you with this brief (OK, not always brief) weekly blog. If you have read through to this point, thank you for lending us your time!
And finally, know this: The lessons of 2023 are of challenges and hard-fought victories. Having the ability to acknowledge them, learn from them and prepare for them is something else to be thankful for.

Gordon Hecht is a business growth and development consultant to the retail home furnishings industry and a regular contributor to YSN. You can reach him at Gordon.Hecht@aol.com.