The global business community celebrates International Client’s Day on March 19 every year. As the name entails, it is all about the client on this particular unofficial holiday. Various organizations around the world take the time to thank and congratulate their customers, visitors, partners, and even online shoppers — basically anyone who could be labeled a ‘client’.
History of International Client's Day
It was 2010 and people from a company in Klaipėda, Lithuania, were debating ideas to celebrate their anniversary. Given how important clients are to any business, they settled on giving thanks to their clients for their anniversary, only to conclude that while weird, quirky, and downright wacky holidays might exist, the world simply did not have anything to celebrate the client.So, they thought, ‘Why not create one? The very first International Client’s Day greetings and celebrations went out on March 19, 2010, and it was a big event — newspapers reported on it, a new website dedicated to this day came up, and this day was even featured in the Lithuanian open calendar.More and more companies joined in these celebrations each year until, in 2013, International Client’s Day was a major celebration for many major Lithuanian companies, with the President of Lithuania even commending this festival. Russia adopted this that same year, and within a few years, global companies also featured International Client’s Day among their other special events. But how and when did the tradition of recognizing client and customer loyalty begin?One theory is that the concept of customer or client loyalty began in the late 18th century when American retailers would give copper tokens to be redeemed with future purchases. A popular concept when it first began, copper was unfortunately too expensive to give out, and copper tokens slowly fizzled out.The idea that loyalty programs do double duty — first as marketing tools and second as a ‘thank you’ for all customers — spread its wings, however. People began offering all sorts of incentives as a ‘thank you’ for buying their products. Some memorable examples include the ‘Betty Crocker Points Program’ to exchange points for kitchenware, the frequent flier programs that offered free flights after flying a certain number of miles, and many more. In fact, tracking customer data, so rare in that age, became a common feature of all such programs, and people soon began analyzing customer trends for better insights into people’s behavior when availing of products and services.The internet, social media, and technology have taken these loyalty programs to new places, and some brands have even formed strategic partnerships among themselves to give better rewards. Now, there are personalized rewards and personalized experiences to thank the clients for their patronage of businesses. For 21st-century clients, meaningful gestures have taken the place of tried-and-tested marketing gestures. Organizations are increasingly acknowledging the worth clients bring to the business by appreciating them publicly.
International Client's Day timeline
The S&H Green Stamp Program — encouraging customers to collect green stamps on S&H (or Sperry & Hutchinson Co.) products to redeem on future purchases — makes the S&H company the largest purchaser of consumer products globally by the 1960s.
The American MNC wants to directly engage with its customers, which it can only do when it sells exclusively across its brand outlets and not via third-party sellers.
The customer service platform, Gladly, releases a report on customer expectations, which says 68% of consumers drop a brand when they feel undervalued and underappreciated.
The Maldives establishes a country-wide tourism loyalty program — Maldives Border Miles — which rewards visitors for staying in this archipelagic country; it is the first such program in the world.
International Client's Day FAQs
Is there a National Customer Appreciation Day?
Yes, and it is celebrated each year on April 18.
Which day is celebrated on 19 March?
Apart from International Client’s Day, March 19 is also Certified Nurses Day, Let’s Laugh Day, National Poultry Day, Saint Joseph’s Day, National Chocolate Caramel Day, among others.
Is there another 'customer-centric' day?
Businesses can prepare themselves well for International Client’s Day by mingling with their customers on Get to Know Your Customers Day, held each year on the third Thursday of January, April, July, and October.
International Client's Day Activities
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Reward clients with gifts
If you're someone who has clients, what do you do for those who keep coming back? Give them exclusive rewards, of course! Gift them special offers, discounts, and treats on their birthday. You can even come up with a specialized incentive plan for each client.
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Send clients a message
Sometimes the smallest gestures have the biggest impact, and that is exactly why a personal message is more meaningful to build a successful partnership with the client. Spare some time to identify and personally message your gratitude to loyal clients.
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Use social media
Whichever side you land on — client or organization — give a shout out to this day on social media. Let local businesses know about this day, and encourage more participation among your peers. You might just be responsible for making someone's day!
5 Fun Facts About International Client’s Day
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A holiday like no other
International Client's Day is the only holiday in the world that was created especially for clients.
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Lithunian and Russian celebrations
The land where this day originated sees huge participation by educational institutions, telecommunication companies, and government organizations, apart from local businesses.
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The difference between customer and client
According to various dictionaries, a client pays for a service from a professional or organization, while a customer buys something from a place.
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Making customers loyal for life
Digital experience company Acquia conducted a global survey that showed a whopping 75% of people are loyal for life if brands can gain their trust.
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The 21st-century reward
SoFi, an American personal finance company, was the very first in the world to announce it would redeem reward points into cryptocurrency.
Why We Love International Client's Day
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Business and clients go hand-in-hand
Clients are the foundation on which organizations thrive, and seeing clients get their due is heartwarming.
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Clients are the best advertisers
A loyal and happy client can do for a business what no marketer can manage. Celebrating International Client's Day helps organizations come to this realization and take steps to keep clients happy for a long time.
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Gratitude can get very creative
People have fun on both sides of this scenario — clients get fun and awesome rewards, and businesses reap the rewards of those rewards.
International Client's Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | March 19 | Sunday |
| 2024 | March 19 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | March 19 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | March 19 | Thursday |
| 2027 | March 19 | Friday |
