Connections of Comfort

How To Connect With People

“People count.” That sentiment is one of the values held by Robert Votruba at National Financial Network, a New York financial services firm. Acting as lifelong financial advocates for nearly 70 years, the advisors at National Financial Network are helping people make decisions during major life events like buying a new home, marriage and kids, career moves, business planning, and charitable giving. As a result, agents know their clients for a long time—and they know them well.

So when Joan Gartner, a Registered Sales Assistant for Robert Votruba, needs a gift for a client, it can’t be just anything. She looks for something that reflects the National Financial Network brand. But more importantly, it must reflect their personal connection with clients.

Spoonful of Comfort connected with me

“I get the gifts with company logos on them, too,” says Gartner. “They’re nice. They’re practical. But I don’t feel anything. I’d rather give something to our clients that has meaning to them and won’t end up in the junk drawer.”

Gartner came across Spoonful of Comfort during an online gift search (and was later thrilled to recognize the company on an episode of Shark Tank). She ordered a package to evaluate it herself. 

“The package arrived at our office—the presentation looked beautiful. And when I read the story about how Spoonful of Comfort came about, it was very touching. I had gone through losing my father. This was a gift that spoke to me as a person. It really connected.” 

Gartner wasn’t the only one. Co-workers who saw the package were impressed, as were her family members (the beneficiaries of this gifting “tryout”). “Everybody I showed had the same feedback: they loved it. That’s something, because it can be hard to find one gift that’s right for clients of all ages and genders.”

A connection with people’s lives

“We are a large organization,” explains Gartner, “yet we’re very client oriented. Our clients call us for everything and a real person picks up the phone every time. We know all about them, and they know all about us. Our clients need to know we see them as real people with important lives. That’s an important connection in this day and age.”

National Financial Network sent more than 100 Spoonful of Comfort care packages for the holidays. “Dealing with Spoonful of Comfort could not have been easier,” comments Gartner. “I had personal contact with Karley, sent a spreadsheet online, and didn’t have to worry about a thing. Karley caught one address in advance that UPS considered ‘undeliverable.’ We were able to verify the correction right away. The process was seamless.”

That’s great feedback for Spoonful of Comfort to hear. But it was the feedback going to National Financial Network that truly impressed.

A connection with people’s thanks

“The response we got from these gifts was amazing,” says Gartner. “Our office received phone call after phone call: ‘What a unique gift!’ ‘Oh my goodness, how wonderful!’ One client took the time to say the soup arrived on a day she and her husband had awful colds, and how they appreciated the soup and not having to cook.”

“Getting responses like that means a lot to me,” says Gartner. “It was lovely that people took the time to tell me why they enjoyed the gift. I could feel their warmth over the phone and in their emails.”

Gartner has since used Spoonful of Comfort twice again for clients dealing with health situations, and she’s shared the concept with other agents and representatives in the firm. “We go through a lot of highs and lows with our clients: births, deaths, happy moments and sad. We have those same experiences in our own culture. This gift is fitting in so many ways.”

Spoonful of Comfort is grateful it can fit in.

Spoonful of Comfort nourishes businesses of all kinds. To learn more about our corporate gifting service and quantity discounts, visit www.SpoonfulOfComfort.com or call 877-404-7678.