Too many companies are sticking it to their customers on a daily basis. Some are brazen enough to annoy their most dedicated patrons with really insulting fees for items that they give other customers for free. Quelle dommage!

In stark contrast, it’s a pleasure to see a company stand by its customers. It’s even more impressive and heartwarming when they voluntarily do something to show they appreciate your business. That’s what recently happened with Parallels.

I bought Parallels Desktop for Mac last year and have been using it daily. I long forgot about the $79 I paid for the program, partly due to the amount of time that had gone by, but mostly due to the program’s near flawless operation and the fact that it’s so incredibly useful. Why should I worry about a $79 purchase when it has probably saved me hundreds or thousands of dollars?

A few days ago, I was opening my mail and spotted an envelope from Parallels. I figured it might be a promotion for some new utility or maybe a notice of a future upgrade. It almost went in the trash. When I opened it, I was very surprised to see a $10 gift card; not just a “$10 discount on a future purchase”, but a $10 Visa card that I can use anywhere, for anything.

Wow! Now that’s how to show some customer appreciation!