🎅 Corporate Santa: How to show love to your best customers

Why let Santa do all the giving this year? Learn how to leave some gifts under the tree for your VIP customers. (edited) 

Welcome to The Manual Weekly – LI Edition, the can’t-miss newsletter for business leaders. You’ll find snackable bits of news highlighting emerging trends, actionable resources, and proven best practices that can help take your business to the next level.

This week’s must-reads:

• The gift of customer appreciation: A lasting impact.
• Four strategies to get your processes back on track.
• Look back to move forward — version history is here!
• And how to attract your next top talent (with our friends at Remote).

👉 Wanna do more to empower your people? In this week’s episode of Inside the Process, Barbra Gago, founder and CEO of Pando, shares how to support individual contributors, create equitable feedback systems, and break free from the myth that leadership is the only path to success.

Template of the week: Customer Appreciation Process

The holidays are creeping up, and while you’re busy making your list (and checking it twice), don’t forget the people who’ve been good to your business all year: your customers.

They deserve more than a simple “thanks” for all of their loyalty and dedication. Let’s talk about how to show customer appreciation. 

Don’t know where to start? It's time to unwrap the basics:

Q: In what ways should I consider showing customer appreciation?

A: Special discounts and offers, loyalty points and rewards, exclusive access to new products and services, and personalized gifts are all fantastic options! 

Q: How do I identify my best customers? 

A: Customers who have shown extra loyalty and engagement, along with those who have actively referred your product are great places to start. 

Q: What’s the best way to communicate the message? 

A: Email is tried and true, but direct email can make a big impression if done right. 

Ready to wow your top customers? The Customer Appreciation Process Template is here to make it easy (and fun)! Packed with thoughtful ideas and customizable steps, it's your go-to guide for turning great customers into lifelong fans. Tweak it to match your style, and start building connections that last.

Check out our entire template archive of free and customizable policy, process, and role starters. New to Trainual? Get a demo.

Why your processes aren't working... and what do to about it!

Only a few things in business are guaranteed: Mondays, taxes, and processes (even if your "process" is just winging it). 

Ineffective processes can create bottlenecks that drive your top talent to other companies faster than seagulls swooping in on your beach lunch… and nobody has time for that.

Addressing these four dilemmas will help you reclaim your operations:

Problem #1: Resistance to change.

Solution: It happens when your team isn't sold on the value. So your job is to explain the “why” behind changes and celebrate small wins to encourage adoption. Early buy-in from high performers will set the tone for the rest of the company.

Problem #2: Poor communication.

Solution: Assumptions are rarely productive. To enhance communication, encourage regular check-ins and consider dedicating specific channels for focused dialogue.

Problem #3: Unclear processes. 

Solution: If processes aren’t clear, they won’t get followed! Make sure processes are easy to understand and centralized for quick access (we know someone who can help with that — wink). 

Problem #4: Insufficient training and resources.

Solution: It’s hard to win a fight you didn’t train for. Give your team the right tools to help them understand their roles and responsibilities.

🚨 This is not a drill: Version history is here!

You read that right — as of this moment, Trainual is officially tracking changes to content with version history. This means you can update your content today, and then view or restore the original version whenever you need to (even weeks from now!). 

Finally! This will be so handy.

Got that right. Here are four times version history will save the day: 

1. When you accidentally hit delete. (Whoops.) 
2. When you asked someone to make updates... and they messed up. Just revive the original version like it never happened!
3. When you roll out a new way of doing things and it doesn’t go as planned. Bring back the old process with a click to get back on track.
4. When you’re looking to see how your best practices have evolved. My, how you’ve grown.

Love it. How far back can I go?

Tracking starts today! But all Trainual plans will be able to view and restore content versions that are up to 30 days old for free.

Need unlimited version history storage? Get Trainual+ to start tracking version history you can keep forever. Starting at $49/mo. 

All aboard the talent train — landing top talent for 2025

Finding the right hire can be tough (after all, not everyone discovers a golden ticket under their pillow). The right hires can make all the difference in the direction your company takes, and how you approach the hiring process can significantly influence their decision to join the crew. 

With the title of the best place to work in Arizona for four consecutive years, we've learned a thing or two about attracting top talent! We don’t like to brag, but our senior talent business partner is perhaps — dare we say — the best in the game with unmatched insights on finding the best talent.

Here are some recruitment tips to set you up for success in 2025:

1. Embrace transparency: Leading with your culture and values is a magnet for high-performing applicants who align with your mission. 
2. Treat candidates like customers: Going the extra mile helps you stand out. This can involve sending personalized follow-up emails, providing timely feedback, or offering a small gift for completed interview projects.
3. Systematize your recruitment process: Hiring top talent is no small feat! Consider outsourcing to experts to streamline your efforts. We're fans of Remote (plus they handle payroll and team management, too)! Psst...they dropped a 20% off deal for you. 
4. Leverage employee referrals: It’s a win-win! Your best people are likely in good company and can recommend other great talent. Plus, offering incentives for referrals can boost participation and drive more qualified candidates your way.