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WRITE A LETTER OF APPRECIATION

Letter of Appreciation

Writing a letter of appreciation to the employer of a retail or service worker is an excellent way to commend the unexpected extra efforts of that employee.

Possibly, a cashier offered you a smile in the middle of a dreary week. Maybe, a sales clerk went out of the way to find an item you simply could not locate.

Too often, superior service from a retail employee is unrecognized and unrewarded. While dissatisfied customers are quick to complain, few happy customers take the time to offer praise.

Since thousands of people are employed by large retailers, the good deeds of one stand-out employee might be overlooked by the company. Appreciation letters, written by satisfied customers, are frequently the primary source of recognition for these outstanding employees.

Letters of appreciation do not have to be complicated. In fact, a lot of retailers have websites which offer convenient online customer-feedback forms.

  • When you encounter an employee who you believe deserves a letter of appreciation, remember to take note of the employee's name, the date, and the store location.
  • If there is a customer service desk at the retail establishment, stop by to offer your appreciation for the employee before you leave the store.
  • Type a letter of appreciation in a word document prior to accessing the retailer's website. This step will allow you to add details to your letter as you remember them. It will also generate a hard-copy of the appreciation letter, if you later decide to mail it.
  • If you are pressed for time, keep the letter of appreciation simple. You could use the following sample as a template for your letter: "I have been a regular patron at your store for the past two years. Although I always receive prompt and friendly service, I was pleasantly surprised on the morning of February 23, 2006 when I met Jane Doe. Jane is a cashier at your Any Town, CA store. This friendly young woman went out of her way to make sure I was a satisfied customer. Please praise Ms. Doe for her exceptional customer service. Keep up the good work..."
  • If you plan to use an online form to submit your letter of appreciation, simply copy and paste the letter from your word document.

Online customer-feedback forms for the top 20 (out of the top 100) retail stores are located here: