In a recent episode of Bar Rescue (one of my favorite shows), host Jon Taffer instructs the hapless bartenders of one establishment to “lay down a napkin” to let the patron know that they have been seen – and will be getting served soon.
From my days as a bartender, I remember doing just that.
Even if the bar was jammed, a quick napkin says: I see you. I’ve got you. I’m coming soon.
In any business, this is good client care. Because customers feel better spending money when they know you’re going to take care of them. They want to feel seen and respected.
In my tarot business, that means letting people know as soon as possible that I’ve received their payment and am ready to serve them. A quick email and they know I’ve got them and they are in good hands.
Many people use an autoresponder to do this.
While that makes good sense (one less task for you), I prefer to send the note manually.
My reason for this is two-fold: one, doing it manually allows me to customize the message if I need to; two, it’s also a way for me to make a mental checkmark and ensure the work doesn’t get lost in my often overflowing inbox. (Yes, I have had one incident where I didn’t do this procedure and I overlooked a client. They didn’t receive their service and I felt like a schmuck.)
To save my arthritic fingers, I have a series of “canned responses” at my fingertips. A canned response is pre-formatted email template that you can simply copy ‘n paste. These are great for answering frequently asked questions or for giving a client a quick note saying “hey, I received your payment, I’ll be on this within x amount of hours.”
I send these little notes out as soon as I receive the payment – or, in some cases, as soon as I am near my phone or computer. From there, I can take care of the work in the time frame specified, or, in the case of setting up appointments, can work with the client to find the right time.
It doesn’t take long and the best part? They client knows they are working with a real, live human being, not some automaton.
Simple as putting down a napkin and letting them know they are about to get service with a smile.
Blessings,
Theresa
A great post on how to use ’em in Gmail: How to use canned responses in Gmail.
I’m Theresa Reed (aka, The Tarot Lady). I’ve been a full-time tarot reader for 30+ years — which, in my industry, makes me pretty badass.
I’m definitely not your average Tarot expert — I drop the F-bomb, I quote rappers, and I’m obsessed with pop culture + reality TV. Folks come to me for straight-talk + tough-love — without the woo-woo fluff. 
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