I know everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays—whether it be Hanukah , Christmas, or the Winter Solstice. We have been blessed here at Signature trying to fill all the gift orders so I know that many of you will have wonderful presents coming of needles, or gift baskets, or gift certificates.
Everyone here has been doing all we can to get orders out the day they come. Kent, looking a LOT like St. Nickolas, personally drives the priority and overnight packages and waits in the long, long lines so can be sure that those get in the system. We have had some glitches on the part of the US Post Office and it seems like they are overwhelmed this year. Maybe this is always like this but having their site crash (where postage can be printed) many times, lost packages, addresses they say don’t exist has been a real challenge for us. Everyone here kind of rolls their eyes when I say I want every single customer to have a PERFECT experience even when there are things that are out of our control. Think how sad it is that we have a real live customer who lives in a real house on a real street surrounded, in fact, by many houses but who the Post Office says just doesn’t exist.
Last Friday we had a blizzard with 14” of snow and high winds which closed us down and delayed the Post Office too. The “through wind and rain” thing has been supplanted with “no delivery attempted”. We have had lots of men ordering gift certificates—which we know will always “fit” the recipient. I did notice 2 overnight orders of the exact same, rather unusual, size needles coming from 2 small adjoining towns down south. I am guessing they are friends or sisters buying for the same knitter. We have had many phone orders from people who want to really “wow” their special someone and it is fun for us to be in on the joy of giving a gift that they and we know will be happily received. Our son California Cal told me recently that he wished there were such a gift he could get for me—but poor thing he has to look elsewhere!
We have had orders from all over the world—from Tazmania to Dubai and every single state in the union. Actually we had always been 1 state short in the “sales to every state” contest but North Dakota finally showed up! I am of an age that it still seems astonishing that people in small towns thousands of miles away and across so many oceans and cultures are doing Signature knitting.
We, too, have received gifts—gifts of good wishes from our wonderful customers. One of our international customers sent a German candy bar and some tiny socks. You can’t imagine how touched I was that she would go to all that trouble. We have had many email holiday wishes from some of our favorite customers and yesterday we even got an actual, write it, stamp it, mail it Christmas card. I just can’t imagine that big companies get that sort of support from their customers!
So, very soon all that needs to be knit will be. Sit back and enjoy the holiday. We’ll be back at work getting the size 0 double points and the circulars to market. Everyone here wishes each and every one of you the happiest and healthiest 2009. – Cathy
