---
title: "The Power of a Handwritten Card in a Digital World: Lessons from Hallmark Business Connections (Episode 260)"
description: "What a greeting card can teach CX leaders: lessons from Patrick McCullough of Hallmark Business Connections on feedback, culture and the human touch in an AI world. Episode 260."
---

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# The Power of a Handwritten Card in a Digital World: Lessons from Hallmark Business Connections (Episode 260)

By **Maria Fleissig** November 12, 2026

[Podcast Takeaways](https://www.cxchronicles.com/blog/tag/podcast-takeaways)[Team](https://www.cxchronicles.com/blog/tag/team)[Feedback](https://www.cxchronicles.com/blog/tag/feedback)

In a world obsessed with automation, AI and rapid-fire communication, what if the most powerful customer experience tool was… a greeting card?

Yep. A good old-fashioned, paper-in-the-mailbox Hallmark card.

That's what [Episode 260 of The CXChronicles Podcast](https://www.cxchronicles.com/podcast/) explored when Patrick McCullough, President of [Hallmark Business Connections](https://www.hallmarkbusiness.com), joined host Adrian Brady-Cesana for a deep (and heartfelt) dive into the human side of customer experience. Here are the biggest takeaways, and why it might be time to add a little analog to your digital CX stack.

## 1. The 80/20 rule of feedback

Every great CX team talks about customer feedback. But how do you use it in a way that actually drives the business?

> "80 for 20, that's a founding way that we take that feedback and use it in all of our underlying business practices." Patrick McCullough

Instead of reacting to everything, Patrick's team applies the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle: they prioritize the 20% of feedback that delivers 80% of the value. It's smart, strategic and keeps their efforts focused. If you follow the podcast, you'll know we love the Pareto principle.

## 2. Quantitative and qualitative: you need both

Data matters: numbers, percentages and KPIs. But so do stories.

> "There's both the quantitative and the qualitative, and the qualitative has been really profound." Patrick McCullough

Metrics like sales lift, churn reduction and satisfaction scores give you the hard data, but it's the human stories that move hearts, and often wallets. Hallmark may be associated with matters of the heart, but it's just as much a business of human relationships.

## 3. What Hallmark cards do for utilities, insurance and retail

Hallmark isn't just in the business of cards. It's in the business of emotional connection, at scale.

For example, Spire, a natural gas provider, uses Hallmark's [Care platform](https://www.hallmarkbusiness.com/business-solutions/care) in its call centers. When agents hear about a life event (a birthday, a death in the family, financial difficulty), they send a personalized Hallmark card.

Simple? Yes. But deeply effective.

> "The Hallmark card is always a very focused relationship touchpoint." Patrick McCullough

In one case, a woman who'd received a card called into a local Atlanta radio show to share her story. She hadn't expected kindness from a utility company, and that one card changed her whole perception.

> "It wasn't just a billing program. It was, 'We're truly trying to be there for you as a person.'" Patrick McCullough

## 4. One card, one call, a 100x effect

This was one of the episode's best mic-drop moments.

> "If one person calls into a radio show to talk about it, that means there's a hundred others who felt something just as powerful." Patrick McCullough

Most customers don't give feedback, positive or negative, unless the experience is extreme. So when you hear a powerful story like this, take note: it's the tip of the iceberg, and it means you're doing something big.

## 5. Culture is strategy, just more human

Hallmark's employee engagement is no accident. Patrick shared that engagement among corporate staff was around **85%**. To put that in perspective, Gallup's State of the Global Workplace research has found that fewer than a quarter of employees worldwide, and roughly a third in the US, are engaged at work. 85% isn't just good. It's exceptional.

The secret? Transparency, action and respect.

> "We ask for feedback, share what we heard, and commit to action. That's leadership accountability." Patrick McCullough

It's also cultural. Hallmark is family-owned, and while Patrick is quick to say it's still a business, he acknowledges the culture is unusually close-knit.

> "It's not a family. But culturally, it's as close as you might ever imagine." Patrick McCullough

And it's not just warm fuzzies. Hallmark uses its culture intentionally to drive better service, stronger engagement and long-term business success.

## 6. The human touch in an AI world

Adrian closed the episode with a challenge every CX professional should hear:

> "When everyone else is ripping toward AI and automation, maybe it's time to think tangible: something real." Adrian Brady-Cesana

We're not saying ditch your chatbots. But think about the milestone moments in your customer journey (birthdays, losses, renewals, first purchases, complaints turned into wins). Where could a personal, tangible touch add real value?

> "This is yet another tool in your toolkit for a personalized, differentiated touch." Adrian Brady-Cesana

## Final thought: care at scale is possible

So many brands say they want to be more human, but struggle to do it at scale. Hallmark Business Connections shows that human connection and business results aren't opposites. They feed each other.

If you're looking to bring more authenticity and care into your customer experience, even in highly regulated or "boring" industries, maybe the answer is already in your mailbox.

[Listen to Episode 260 of The CXChronicles Podcast](https://www.cxchronicles.com/podcast/) with Patrick McCullough of Hallmark Business Connections.

## Want help putting this into practice?

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