What happened to giving out freebies?

Angel, Coldwater, Michigan — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:17:17 GMT

Kindness is contagious. Maybe he was afraid of being infected.

On a serious note, I don't think those little bits of kindness that businesses used to offer are lost. It's the bad apples in business that make it appear that way.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Raj Khera, Co-Founder, MoreBusiness.com — Fri, 30 May 2008 20:33:14 GMT

Eve, well written point about something we often take for granted: kindness. The store owner's jealousy of other people's income will not help him increase his own. Too bad. Everyone, regardless of how much they make, likes to be appreciated now and then. The full article you referenced on morebusiness.com is at http://www.morebusiness.com/business-promotions-strategy

What happened to giving out freebies?

Toby Bloomberg, Atlanta, GA — Sat, 31 May 2008 03:32:26 GMT

Eve - I agree with Raj and Angel. It is the little kindness in life (and in business) that we recall. Perhaps the store owner was having a bad day. What did your mom do? Will she shop at this store again? Thanks for *your* kindness in including my thoughts in your story (smile).

What happened to giving out freebies?

Heidi Richards Mooney, Ft. Lauderdale, FL — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:15:52 GMT

Eve, You are so right! And giving something for nothing allows people to test a product and service with no fear of loss.

I call it "random acts of giving" and in my own florist shop often give a new customer something for free like a rose, a balloon, a bag of rose petals (whatever fits with the purchas they are making). Brides get one of my wedding etiquette books even before they "book the date," which by the way, almost always leads to the sale.

So it isn't just about the giving (although it should be) its also good business sense.

Thanks too for mentioning Toby Bloomberg (I am a huge fan of hers) because I got to read the post about her being named one of the top 30 social media experts online - along with Seth Goden, Robert Scoble and Sally Falkow to name a few.

All the best,

Heidi Richards Mooney, Founder
Women's eCommerce Association and Publisher
WE Magazine for Women

What happened to giving out freebies?

Margaret, Rockville, MD — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:17:30 GMT

I think he was just jealous because he wants a nice gesture done to him too. :)

What happened to giving out freebies?

Renee Lawrence, Tx. — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 06:22:38 GMT

I think he was worried about the fact that he felt guilty for not giving her the water when one of his customers did. Shame on him for trying to pass his guilt on to the customer that was doing a kind deed.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Jen — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:58:59 GMT

People are jealous of government workers sometimes, I notice a misperception that they are all overpaid and don't have to work very hard, get too much time off and benefits, etc.

What happened to giving out freebies?

john west — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:30:08 GMT

Long before there were people offering advise to small business people, my second wife and I knew the value of giving your customers (existing and potential) small gifts. Those that did not buy our wares (homemade candy and sandwiches)recommended them to others.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Gayle, Englewood, NJ — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:54:43 GMT

Performing a random act of kindness is gracious. However, many business actually have a policy to give all police free or discounted products & services.
Disguising this as charity to civil servants when actually it is a bribe is wrong anyway you dice it.
EMT workers, crossing guards,and sanitation workers are also civil servants who also wear uniforms. But business owners do not have a policy to give these folks freebies because they do not have power (i.e. to arrest, write a ticket, shot).

What happened to giving out freebies?

John Doe, seattle, Wash — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:34:04 GMT

I own a restaurant and find that even the smallest act of generosity comes to repay me many times over. I give law enforcement officers 10% off and now I get them from the entire county. plus they watch the place extra carefully AND twice i got pulled over (speeding, taillight) and both times they let me go after they asked me where i was coming from (which is always the restaurant, if you own one) I have many more examples like this.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Karen H, Auburn, WA — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:18:40 GMT

I'll always be a repeat customer to a business that shows community involvement or kindness to individuals. To me, caring about the community and showing individual kindnesses translates to caring about customers, and that's what I want out of a business I deal with.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Ron DeMet, NV — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:38:03 GMT

New to your sight and I like it. As a member of the Military, many places have given me coffe or water gratis, and many additional other stores I patron give Military discounts. I have grown up in an entrepeneurial family, before I joined the Army 23 years ago. I plan to continue that tradition. I have always found myself returning to those establishments. Not for the free stuff, but because the serve in a way by helping to serve us. Keep your patronage up and keep those busnisses running. I do!

What happened to giving out freebies?

Kevin — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:32:28 GMT

Just a really thoughtless storeowner. Many fed government workers don't make jack. It's a case of having benefits and job security they would not have elsewhere especially when one is growing older. I know the feeling. I've given gifts to military personnel and to postmen. I don't offer police offers anymore. They almost always turn me down. I can think of reasons why .....

What happened to giving out freebies?

Paul Formal — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:12:20 GMT

We own a very nice family business since 1953. Our refrigerator and rest room are always open to our mailman. We always give police and firepersons discounts. We also try to help artists whenever we can. Ethics, good values, kindness, etc... might be some of the reasons that I am so lucky to have a wonderful wife and two great children.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Petey — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:49:23 GMT

Many people work just as hard, and sometimes much harder, but their benefits pale in comparison to postal workers. Check out the Thrift Saving Plan available to Postal employees.

What happened to giving out freebies?

New Braunfels, Texas — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:31:39 GMT

It does seem that being nice, kind and giving out freebees are a thing of the past. Some excuse this by saying there is a recession and money is tight. Right, but time past also saw were similar yet kindness prevailed and gifts/freebees were the idea of the day if you could. We were helped a lot by my grand parents and it saved us from starvation

John Harper Sunday, 07/06/08

What happened to giving out freebies?

John Charleston SC — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:54:46 GMT

No, it's not lost. As a franchise owner of multiple LIBERTY TAX SERVICES we often give out free drinks, snacks like donuts and even free tax preparation coupons to our mailman and others.

Also, we offer everyone that walks into our store water, coffee or tea. If someone came into your home you would do the same, and it really is a little price to pay. Even if people do not accept they remember us. The big companies in our industry treat people as numbers, and can not understand why we are growing so fast.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Steve, Hinesville, GA — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:02:03 GMT

As a federal worker myself, I can tell you that we do not have great salaries. If I were to change over to private sector, I would definitely make more money for the work that I do and the responsibilities that I have. However, I like what I do, where I work and the people that I work with. That combined with the fact that I am doing a job that helps protect my immmediate community as well as our country is what keeps me coming back to work every day.

I applaud the actions of your mother. Whenever I have workmen at my home - I offer them drinks, use of the bathroom, etc. I do this because if I were in their shoes, I would hope that someone would do the same for me. I also try to remember the newspaper delivery person, the mailman, etc. around the holidays. I think if we all tried to be a little more courteous to each other, the USA would be a much better place to live. Manners and courtesy seem to have all but disappeared in many places. Thankfully, I live in the south where you can still find it without even having to look for it.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Meter Reader, San Diego CA — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:56:40 GMT

Bless your gracious Mother! I am a meter reader for a utility and I know how much that water was appreciated. It is unfortunate, but I have trouble most days even finding someone to let me use the bathroom. There are a few folks though that go out of their way to make sure we have what we need. bless them too.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Frank, Austin, Tx — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:40:34 GMT

I can remember when I was younger my mom and I were waiting in line to check out at the grocery store. There was a woman in line in front of us with two kids; One was around 2-3 the other about 10.

The woman's credit cards got turned down a couple times. She tried another card but it too was declined. As the woman went to walk away I remember my mom pulling out her card without a moments hesitation and paying for the woman's groceries for her.

You rarely see people exhibit this kind of kindness these days. Even though it put my mom in a bit of a financial bind she wouldn't accept repayment from the woman in front of us. If more people in our society were willing to bend over backwards to help out others this world would be so much better.

What happened to giving out freebies?

Mekhong Kurt, Aubrey, TX/Bangkok, Thailand — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:26:03 GMT

This is potentially a tough one.

I don't see how anyone can possibly fault your Mom for her nice act of kind generosity to the postwoman.

Nor of anyone else doing something similar.

However, I worked a short while in law enforcement and a much longer while in private security, but as a patrol officer in the latter was often *perceived* to be, essentially, a police officer, which I of course was not.

It took keen judgment to try to determine when, say, a restaurant manager or owner was trying to acticely solicit special service from you or he or she was merely showing gratitude. As a police officer, I never accepted it, something of a problem in the small community in which I worked -- and which I had grown up (so knew everyone). Probably didn't have to go that far, but it made it easy for me.

In short, the giver's intent is, it seems to me, the key. Your Mother couldn't possibly expect to receive any sort of "special service" from someone not her own postal delivery person. Besides, just what else can a mail carrier do besides deliver the mail??? Clearly, her intent was generous in nature.

When I worked in security, I would accept a free cup of coffee and the like -- in establishments with which my company had a contract already, but not in others, except in exceptional circumstances. For instance, by law we could not refuse an emergency call from a non-customer if in our patrol area. So, if I caught, say, a would-be trouble-maker and handed him over to the police, sure, I'd take a cup of coffee. But I never once felt the giver was doing anything beyond thanking me.

Sure do wish there were a lot more people like your Mom around. Luckily, I know quite a few such people myself, which makes it easier for me to try to imitate them, at least ONCE in awhile!