The other day Danny stopped by my desk and we were talking about one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time. He said “Have you ever seen Miracle on 34th Street?” Cue my gushing about how much I love the movie: the costumes, the sets, Dylan McDermott in a chunky Billy Crystal Sweater.
But really what sticks out to me about this movie is one single scene and how it shaped how I view client relationships.
Putting The Person Before The Dollar
There’s a scene where a Pre-Oscar, Pre-Emmy Award Winning Allison Janney goes up to one of Cole’s store workers and tells him about her interaction with the store’s Santa Claus. Janney plays a mom, who is probably in the throes of holiday chaos and is just trying to get through the season, and her son tells Santa that he wants a specific toy that is extremely expensive. The worker points her in the direction of where she can find the said toy and she explains that it’s out of her price range, but that Santa told her where she can get it on sale.
At first the salesperson is outraged that Santa would send someone to another store. But Janney’s frazzled mom is so tickled that Santa would put “the parent ahead of the almighty dollar at Christmastime” that she plans on shopping at Cole’s for everything but underwear and bananas.
In that moment, someone saw her — not just another holiday transaction, but a person trying to do right by her child.
If We Don’t Have It, We’ll Help You Find It
The business ultimately uses this model to establish their holiday campaign. If Cole’s doesn’t have it – they’ll help you find it – even if it means sending you somewhere else. It’s bold for a business to take this step, but boldness is what separates businesses from each other. It’s scary, honestly. Admitting you’re not the right fit, that someone else might serve them better. But that vulnerability — that honesty — that’s where trust is built.
So, as an 8 year old girl I can’t say that I ultimately understood how impactful that sentiment was. However, now that I’m a seasoned client relations veteran, dating back to my days of dipping Italian Ice at HersheyPark, I can truly say I get it.
I put this mindset into my work everyday:
- Are we doing what’s best for our clients?
- Are we the best fit for this or is there another group that might be able to create a bigger impact?
At the end of the day, we’re people — yes, we’re digital marketers, but we’re also partners, spouses, parents, children. Just like you. We’re here to grow a business, absolutely. But we’re here to help first. And as Cole’s taught us — it’s when you truly help that you truly grow. When all is said and done, behind every campaign, every metric, every strategy session, there are real people with real dreams for what they’re building.
I value my clients and their businesses. I truly find their successes as exciting as they do. When they succeed, we do as well. I actively listen to what they need, how they feel and I do my very best with every interaction to make sure we are providing the best service possible. Not because it’s good business practice, but because that’s how we’d want to be treated if the roles were reversed.
What Good Client Service Really Is
Maybe that’s what good client service really is — creating moments where people feel genuinely cared for, so much so that years later, they remember not just what you did, but how you made them feel.
In the end I’m not sure where Allison Janney purchased the toy for her son, but thanks to that small snippet of movie history it did help shape how I provide client service. If you want to check out the scene I’m talking about, here you go: Miracle on 34th street “The consequences of being fair in business”.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a thank you for a great 2025 to all of our clients! 2026 — we’re coming for you.
