Angry Elf Beats “Thank You” Every Time

This morning, my Starbucks cup said, “thank you.”

I think.

The handwriting was rushed. Messy. Barely legible. It wasn’t a moment. It was a task.

And that’s the problem.

Because sitting on my desk is another cup I’ve kept since November. Two words: angry elf, with a little mad face drawn next to it.

And here’s the thing. That morning, I actually was rushed. Not my usual cheery self. Probably a little short.

It caught me off guard. Maybe even felt slightly insulting for a second.

But it stayed with me. And later, it made me laugh.

I kept it. I remembered it. I talked about it.

Same company. Same idea. Very different outcome.

Somewhere along the way, “make it human” turned into “make sure it’s done.”And those are not the same thing.

We’ve become incredibly efficient at checking the box. Add the note. Make the call. Send the follow up. Log the activity.

But people don’t remember activity. They remember how it felt.

A messy “thank you” is process. Angry elf is presence.

One disappears before the coffee’s gone. The other sits on a desk months later.

That’s the gap.

At eSquared, this is the work. Not more activity. Not better scripts. Not cleaner CRM notes.

Better moments.

Because in a world full of automation, AI, and perfectly timed follow ups, the only thing that separates you is whether the person on the other end feels something.

And if you’re going to write on the cup anyway, you might as well make it worth keeping.