I am hoping for some suggestions. I want to send a thank you to a gentleman in Mexico who has helped me and my company greatly in the recent months going over and above his job to help us out. He works for a different division of the same corporation but I am in the US and he is in Mexico.
Would a fruit basket be a good idea? Or something else as a thank you?
Not a physical gift but depending on corporate culture something that he might enjoy as much if not more. Let his boss know. That might be an email to his boss with him copied. Maybe an email to him with his boss copied. Copying your boss isn’t a bad idea since it can help his reputation if he’s working on some other project with you or your bosses team. Corporate culture can dictate some sense of what’s most appropriate and you might ask your boss for guidance on emailing a manager in a different division. Put some real time into the email. You both want something that is meaningful to the person you are thanking and sells his skills in a way that his boss might be inspired to say similar things in a performance review.
I’m guessing the gift is going to his work for delivery. Aside from easing delivery that can give him publicity for a job well done from his coworkers. If there’s at all a corporate culture of bringing in food to share, like for birthdays, that might create another great opportunity. Give him something that he could potentially choose to share with coworkers. You can’t package that reputational and social aspect but it might be even more valuable to him.
There’s an old leadership rule of thumb - Correct/punish in private but praise in public. It’s still useful to remember even when you aren’t in a formal leadership role and dealing with a peer.
[Moderating]
Moving from CS to IMHO
Fruit crossing the border would likely be confiscated by customs. Plus México has no shortage of fruit. Better to gift something that is not available there. Mexicans have a fondness of sweets. Maybe your area has some specialty candy. All the better if it has some chili in it. A nice gift wrapped present goes a long way. A lot of México is very hot. So I would stay away from chocolate.
Each state in México has different customs and food. If you could tell me what state he lives in, I may be able to make more suggestions.
I suggest you ship USPS. If it has a lot of value, best to require a signature.
A written note/card mailed would be appropriate, or a gift card to Amazon might work as such. Sending fruit baskets across the border might result in confiscation on both sides of the border.
he is in Reynosa. Candy basket is a better idea than fruit.
I wasn’t planning on personally shipping from the US but more of ordering something local to him or Amazon or something. (I don’t want to do any customs documents I have enough of that nightmare as it is)
My boss is on board with this already i will also suggest we send praises to his management.
Harry and David has a gift basket they ship internationally that is cookies and party mix etc for $40.00 that looks good to me. No chocolate, no fruit.
will have to see about the cost of shipping.
shoot they don’t deliver to MX.
No, but these folks do, and they deliver just about any gift you want to send.