In today’s mail was a package from one of the companies that imprints for businesses on a wide variety of items. I get a lot of little freebies for my tax business. They want me to order from them. The gift was the little flashlight/keychain in the picture. It’s a nice design but it doesn’t work. The package gave me a promise a nice new toy but it didn’t follow through. It’s not a big deal but now I’d think twice before buying from this company. But as a business owner, how often do we make promises, actual or implied, and don’t follow through?
Most business or business owners make promises. We promise to be the cheapest, fastest or most reliable. We promise delivery dates and results. But sometimes we can’t keep our promises. Most customers understand that sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control. But how do we apologize or make it good for the customer? Do we accept the client is mad and they have the right to be mad or do we blow them off with a flip line and insincere apology? How we make it right will determine if the customer comes back. Businesses with good customer service understand that. The other question is we setting ourselves up with promises we can’t keep? I won’t promise to get a client a refund or solve, in their favor, every issue with the IRS. I can’t guarantee I will fulfill the promises.
Look at your promotional materials and how you run your business. Are you set up to meet or exceed what you’re promising? Can you make changes that will make promises easier to keep? Or, do you need to change the promises you’re making?
McIntire Tax Center - on Facebook - on Google+ - or Twitter @ mactax.
