Are You Conducting Business The Way You Want Others To Do Business With You?
The Golden Rule for Business
Austin, Texas: As an organization that is practicing sustainability and promoting the green movement, you are probably feeling good about your company and about yourself.
Good for you. Congratulations!
As a businessperson, we all have the ideal type of client we like to work with.
What are some characteristics of your ideal customer?
Doesn’t constantly haggle you on price?
Pays their bills on time?
Is a pleasure to work with?
Values your expertise and advice?
Sends you referrals?
Great. Now, put the shoe on the other foot and ask yourself these questions:
Are you acting the same way toward your vendors?
Are your practicing what you preach?
Are you following the Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would like them to do onto you)?
If not, why not?
Take some time to re-evaluate how you are doing business.
Do you like to be haggled on price on every job? Neither do your top vendors. Vet your vendors wisely, but then stop beating them up on price each time.
Do you return e-mails and phone calls promptly? If you are not interested in an idea or proposal, do you at least answer their emails with a “Thanks .. but no thanks”. Or do you ignore each message, hoping it goes away and never getting back to them –frustrating both of you with a series of unreturned phone calls and emails?
We all like referrals and the word-of-mouth business it brings us. Are you giving referrals to your vendors? I am sure it would be appreciated. Are they on Facebook or Linked in? If so, give them a shout-out, a referral, a recommendation – a few simple words of thanks.
Are you paying your vendors promptly? It is not your suppliers fault that you are still waiting for one of your customers to pay you, or that you had an off-month. Pay your vendors on time–or even early.
Are you buying recycled or sustainable products-for all your shopping needs (both business and personal)?
Are you trying to buy US-manufactured products whenever possible?
Business is a two-way street. We rely on our vendors to make us look good. They rely on us to keep them in business.
Let’s all take the time to conduct ourselves in a manner more to the way we would like to be treated.
Here’s to a better tomorrow, today.
