The Key Ingredients In Your Business Results Recipe!

I had been going to a hair colorist for over 15 years. Not only was I a loyal customer, but I have been a great referral base for her. I like her and for a long time she did a great job. I have also seen a manicurist that is at the same location for 18 years.

I stayed in spite of numerous inconveniences including bad parking, a hectic environment, and the fact her schedule, not mine had to be accommodated, which always meant I had to stop working to go. The biggest inconvenience was when you go for hair color the salon rule is that you may not dry your own hair, you may give it a quick blow dry but you may not style it.

Three weeks ago it was 10 degrees out and I did not want to leave the salon with wet hair and my work schedule did not allow me to dry it quickly and then go home and re-wet and dry it again. So at 8:00 am I called and asked if an exception to their rule could be made. I would even be willing to go in the bathroom to do this. The answer was “NO, We do not that here Shelly, no one does this.” I hung up and thought for a while. I asked myself, who is the loyal paying client?? What happened to customer service?? I called back and tried to discuss the situation with the owner and he would not budge. So I said, “Please cancel my manicure and hair color for today, I cannot do this.”

I then went to a salon with a colorist that has 20 years experience and a whole counter that is set up with products and tools for clients to style their own hair.

I was not thinking of leaving my previous colorist for good. I just saw it as a blip in our relationship and that we would work it out the next time I went. So I called to schedule my next appointment and I was told by the receptionist that because of my cancelling she no longer wants to do my hair.
I said you are kidding right? I laughed out loud and said good bye!

She was mad and her anger got in the way of an important business relationship as anger always does in any relationship. Anger effects nothing positively and it hurts the one who is possessed by it more than the one against whom it is directed.

Here are the Key Ingredients In Your Business Results Recipe:

1. It is important to always remember who the customer is!

2. Never argue with a customer: You know the customer isn’t always really right, but in business, they are right! Focus on how to fix it. Research has shown that 7 out of 10 customers will do business with a company again if that business will resolve the complaint

3. Problem solving skills: Be committed to solving the customers’ problems. Your ability to express empathy and understanding will be key factors in providing an effective solution.

4. Flexibility: You need to adapt to a customer’s unique needs and changing circumstances.

5. Trust: The most important person you can trust is yourself. Trust that when you are paying for something and you are being treated anything less than you deserve there will always be someone else that can do the job.

In closing, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned.”
Buddha

Disclaimer: Please use all ingredients for a tasty business!