When I purchased Seth Godin’s book, ‘It’s Your Turn’, Seth issued a challenge to post a story a day. Every day. For 7 days.
I took up the challenge.
And chose to share insights into the values that influence the way I live.
And the way I run my business, The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies.
This is Day 5.
Do You Tell The Truth In Business? Even If It Means Losing A Customer?
I’m Carol Jones. And I’m the purveyor of The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies.
Telling the truth in business is a nebulous area.
And how much of the truth you tell can be dependent upon how desperate you are for cash flow.
Ditto for how you frame ‘the truth’.
“We are talking to XYZ Company” can be interpreted by some to mean that XYZ Company is close to becoming a client of yours.
When in actuality.
All it means.
Is that you sent them an email. Which they probably ignored.
How you tell the truth is also dependent upon your ethics.
Some have stronger ethics than others.
I’ve been the maker and purveyor of The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies since 1994.
And my first rule has always been to avoid having an unhappy customer.
Because.
When a business lets me down, I am at the top of the tree when it comes to being . . .
The. Customer. From. Hell.
And I never want ME on the other end of my telephone.
Nor do I want to receive ME in an email rant.
Because I know just how difficult I AM when I think I’ve been short sheeted, it’s easy for me to tell the truth.
I’ve never understood why a business thinks an unhappy customer is worth the short term gain of a few extra $$$$$ into their coffers.
When your reputation can be trashed at lightning speed with a tweet. Or a cranky comment on Facebook.
I also recognise that my products. And my business. Can’t be all things to all people.
Perhaps that comes with maturity. And experience.
But I also think it shows a lack of respect to another person when you doctor the truth about your products or your service.
To gain a sale.
It’s not often that I have to tell someone that my product isn’t suitable for them. But the times that I have, I’ve been delighted about telling them the truth.
When I put the phone down. Or click Send for an email. I know that I will never have to deal with them as a customer who feels they’ve been let down.
Or cheated.
Or misinformed.
Every business should be in the business of cultivating customers for the long haul.
And the only way to do that is to tell the truth.
About your products.
And your business.
It’s a simple formula.
Make sure you. And your products. Do what you say they will do.
Once that box is ticked, there is never a question about how much of the truth you will tell.
Because you know. And I know.
That you can’t cultivate long term customers . . .
Without telling the whole truth.
And nothing but the truth.
~Carol Jones, Ironing Diva❤
PS. You can read ‘Our Story. How We Built A Worldwide Business From Broke’. Here.
And this is the link to Seth’s Book, It’s Your Turn. Highly recommended.
I Am The Purveyor Of The Tantrum Free Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies
Made with love and care in RURAL Australia by men and women who have a disability.
It’s not for everyone.
But it’s definitely for you if you’re fussy about the cover you iron on.
And if you love to support Australian made.
And want to put something back into the community when you make a purchase.
The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover cover has more than 350,000 customers in 29 countries. Because it lives up to its name. It ‘Fitz Like A Glove™’ every time you iron.
And these are the ‘Other Goodies’
Like this post? Share it with your family and friends on . . .
Facebook.
Google+.
LinkedIn.
The share button is at the end of this post.
Have a question? Email me.
Or phone me, Carol Jones, in rural Australia on 02 63 588 511.
Photos of my rural property are courtesy of me, Ironing Diva – who is also known as Paddock Paparazzi – and taken at sunrise every morning.
Storm Clouds In The Hills
PS. And I have a fabulous newsletter ‘A Smidgen Of Gossip’. This is what a subscriber says about it. “Carol. Just had some time to read it and found that it is, as with everything you do, rather wonderful. A great read. W” You can subscribe to it by clicking this link. It’s FREE! This is not a lifetime commitment. You can Unsubscribe at any time. Don’t miss out. Click this link now!
The Hills At First Light
