Two email communications dropped into my inbox yesterday. One was a simple thank you for my custom with a new business and one was an encouragement to repurchase from a company I haven’t used for a while.

The first was a labelled "Courtesy email" and came from a newly set up company. All it said was "Just an email to check that everything went ok and you are happy with your items" but it was a nice, and surprisingly unusual gesture".

The second was longer and came from Ambala Foods, an Asian confectionary company. Their busiest period will be in November around Diwali (5 November 2010) so I guess now may be a quiet time for them. The email began with a conventional thank you for being a customer. What caught my attention was the next paragraphs. Basically, they are just reminding me they exist and encouraging a repeat purchase, but I liked the way it was done:

"On reviewing our records, I realised that we haven't heard from you in quite some time. I know that like me, you're a lover of delicious Asian confectionery and savouries.... " Nice reminder of what they offer and why I like them!

"So I'm wondering if we may have done something that caused you to lose interest in our fine line of Asian confectionery.  If so, I'd really appreciate it if you'd let me know and I promise I'll do everything in my power to make it up to you. Just call xxxx on xxx xxxx , who I've put in charge of correcting any problem that may have occurred. That's xxxx's direct line and you'll get put through to him personally." Nice use of the personal touch here.

The email finished by offering me a (time limited) discount on the price of my next order.

The moral here is that these were not difficult emails to send or complicated marketing campaigns to organise but both gave me as a customer a warm feeling towards the company. Now, I'm off to order my Diwali sweets ahead of time...