Dealing with the Difficult!

A successful business owner must give a lot of importance to clients; and his or her offering should reflect the client’s needs.

Each and every customer is important and a good business owner must satisfy the client’s needs with his service. It is imperative to know about the pros and cons of our service from the client’s feedback, and if need be, change the service and/or product. However, if a mistake occurs from the client’s side, offer constructive communication and explain things in a respectful way that enables them to recognize what they did wrong.

If the mistake is from the business owner’s side, he/she must rectify it so the customer stays. Acquiring and maintaining customer satisfaction is the real achievement of a business owner. If a customer is satisfied with your work, surely they will recommend you to their friends and relatives, which expand the business without the added cost of advertisements.

Business owners always need customer feedback to know about their views on the product and service. Most clients will give positive feedback if they are satisfied with the work. Undoubtedly, there are some customers who are impossible to satisfy even if they are given exactly what they want.  Regarding them, it’s best for to stay even tempered and appreciate the business – sometimes, the most “difficult” clients can be the best in terms of offering numerous referrals. “Difficult” clients usually recognize their behaviors and compensate by helping those who have put up with them, so to speak.

Stay classy, business owners!

Supply and Demand

Owning a business means many things including keeping the customers, supporters and clients happy, in addition to making sure the employees are paid on time.

However, who makes the owner happy and satisfied in a timely manner?

Hopefully it is your suppliers.

Yes, the people who make sure your credit card machine is running correctly; the server doesn't crash; the cash register updated; the phone lines up; the mail delivered, etc, etc. The question is, as a business owner, how do you maintain a relationship with your suppliers that are based on respect and prompt attention to each other’s needs?

Here are some ideas:

·         Solicit feedback from each so you both are working in tandem, correctly.

·         See situations from all points of view when in a possible dispute.

·         Develop action plans or mutually agreeable terms when entering or renewing contracts.

·         Let your supplier know as soon as possible if permanent changes need to be made to a service they provide.

·         If your supplier is doing a great job, let others know. They will appreciate it.

One the most important things that you as a business owner can recognize as a key to success is that everyone is pretty much seeking out the same things as you including building a great band and keeping it operational – and profitable.

 Work together to make it so!

Keeping a Team Intact

As a business owner, undoubtedly you have created a team of people who are different in many ways – personality, temperament, age, experience, knowledge, etc. And, there are days in which those differences come to a head in the workplace leading to disagreements and grumpiness, which can lead to a reduction in productivity and positivity.

How do you keep the team together in a healthy manner? Here are some examples:

·         Have an occasional “gripe fest:” Now, that doesn’t mean to hold a finger pointing festival in which team members start accusing each other of childish actions, but instead consider it an exercise in productive, collective venting. Are there certain behaviors that each member displays that drives opposing team members crazy? Talk about it in an encouraging and supportive manner and try to get to the root of the issue.

·         Participate in team building exercises: Sometimes it’s necessary to blow off some collective steam. The team (including the boss) has been cranking it out like a fine tuned machine; however it’s time for some fun. Go do something as a team one day after work. Go to a movie, go to a show, and then head to dinner. Break bread and have fun. Nourish the team spirit.

·         Remember to “accept the things I cannot change:” Do you have an employee that becomes sensitive, another employee who is a genius but a bit scattered, or one who is sometimes too smart for their own britches? They all have traits that you appreciate or you wouldn’t have hired them. Of course, it’s important to work on their skills, but remember; occasionally it takes a while for them to learn the new environment and people. They wouldn’t be a member of the team if you didn’t want them there.

And finally, always being part of a team means a lot of things – good, great and not so great. If everyone can just continue to remember the long term goal – everyone will be a winner!