Lincolnshire, IL, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire
With the rise in Internet commerce, the personal interaction between buyers and sellers is declining. As buyers develop only virtual relationships with the companies with whom they do business, Quill Corporation is one company that has committed to maintaining close customer ties as its e-commerce business grows.

An office products company in Lincolnshire, Illinois, Quill wanted to maintain the personal relationships they had developed with customers over the past 50 years. As a result, the company set out to ensure that they offered not only personalized transactions, but also found a way to get to know some of their key customers -- hard-working office professionals -- even better by recognizing the passions that drive them.

The company invited customers to share stories about the passions that keep them personally fulfilled on and off the job. Responses came from people throughout the country. The passions they expressed ranged from doing charitable work to working in the arts, to volunteering at shelters and being active in professional organizations.

Quill spent time interviewing customers, taking photos on and off the job, then compiling each personal story to share with other customers. Stories and photos are being featured in upcoming office supply catalogs and on the company's Web site.

"When customers become account numbers instead of business partners, the relationship is diminished," said Larry Morse, president of Quill. "At Quill, we value these personal relationships, so we want to really know and understand our customers so that we can anticipate what they will need to succeed on the job."

Morse carries the customer relationship-building mindset all the way to his personal office. He consistently invites customers to e-mail him with feedback and to communicate with him personally about Quill. These correspondences are frequently followed up with a thank you note and a product sample or business book.

The handshake that was once the foundation of business relationships is hard to achieve in cyberspace. However, Quill has shown that there are other ways to capture the trust implied by that gesture in new ways -- by staying close to customers and recognizing their passions. Quill is taking a leadership position in this important initiative.

SOURCE Quill Corporation

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