A Premium Experience & The Power of Giving (Part 2)

This week's thoughts from my Bombas experience are centered around the power of giving. Last week, I shared the remarkable level of service I received from Bombas. It was evident that their intention was twofold: to ensure my satisfaction as a repeat customer, which they undoubtedly achieved, and to generate more business. Today, I'd like to focus on the latter outcome.

I must confess that I used to believe giving had less value if it wasn't entirely altruistic. This perspective stemmed from a story in the Bible about a widow who quietly contributed her last two cents to the offering. Jesus, in response, highlighted the power of her sacrificial giving over larger gifts given out of abundance. Over time, I've come to understand that while gifts given through sacrifice hold greater significance, gifts from abundance are not devoid of value. Similarly, the gifts we provide to our customers, including the one I received from Bombas, are given out of abundance. They are designed with the intention of reaping residual benefits, and that's not a negative thing. In fact, I appreciated that Bombas openly expressed this in their email.

On the pragmatic side, I understand that the premium purchase I made entailed free shipping, and the cost of shipping, combined with the labor involved in receiving and restocking the item, would have decreased their return on investment if I had sent the socks back. Nevertheless, what impressed me was their messaging. Let's consider these two sentences:

1. "It's going to cost us too much for you to return them, so just keep them. They're on me, so you can do whatever you want with them. Just make sure to tell people how nice we are."
2. "Instead of dealing with the hassles associated with returning them, please feel free to share your items with family members or friends. This way, someone receives a great gift, you experience the joy of giving, and we may potentially gain a new customer."

Both sentences communicate to the customer that returning the item is unnecessary and that they are welcome to keep or give it away. Additionally, both sentences request that the customer share their experience with others. However, the second sentence conveys a distinctly different tone. It aligns with the spirit of giving. Gifts offered with a joyful heart and attitude hold greater value than those given begrudgingly. When you receive a gift filled with joy, you naturally want to share it with others. This brings me to the second part of this week's reflections: you never know what may unfold when you serve and give joyfully.

When Bombas decided to respond in this manner, they hoped I would inform a few friends or family members. They even provided me with a discount code for them, which they sent in a separate email (I refrained from mentioning this 25% off code http://www.bombas.com/sharinglast week to avoid turning it into a sock-selling affair). However, Bombas had no guarantee that I wouldn't delete the email and simply tell Michelle that, being the amazing husband I am, I got her another box of socks because she deserves nothing less. They gave with hope, but not with expectation, and that's precisely how we should approach giving. By doing so, we afford people the opportunity to bless us beyond our expectations. In this case, the email inspired thoughts that were read by over 1,500 people last week. Several individuals reached out to inform me about their Bombas sock purchases, amounting to more than $500. Many others expressed their intent to make Bombas sock purchases. Furthermore, Michelle has already gifted some of the socks, which may very well result in future purchases.

That leads me to this week's challenge: Find a way to give generously with hope, without expecting anything in return. This doesn't necessarily have to involve a physical gift. You can go the extra mile to provide a helpful service or make an effort to track down information that can benefit someone in their business or personal life. Look for opportunities to bless not only your customers and colleagues but also extend your kindness beyond the workplace. Offer your time and effort to a church, school, neighbor, or anyone else you have the chance to help. Embrace a lifestyle of generous giving, blessing others, and expressing gratitude when others give to you. I assure you that giving without expectation will be its own reward.