Be frank, be forthright
Sometimes we wonder how some business people or houses or businessmen are successful. We wonder why people flock to them as bees to honey in a flower. If you look deep inside, there is surely something that has people coming to them.
To me, I think it is their service or the way they go about servicing their clients that keep them on top of whatever they do.
For example, I remember approaching a friend to get a dental product a few years ago. Now, he put me on to a well-known friend of his dealing in that and when I approached him he delivered it to me. I liked the way he dealt with me and again, a few months ago I approached the person for the product and I got it within no time.
This may be an one-off thing. The case here is that his service has been good as also his approach that I have been forced to get back to him. Not just that, I even recommend him to my friends or relatives.
I think it would be better for me to give my bank as an example. It is a private bank and I have two accounts with it. I also have demat with the bank. I am not disclosing the bank’s name lest it be an advertisement for it. My point here is for people to know to how retain their clients or customers.
What happened 10 years ago was that I was in a firm where there was superior with my name with a bit of difference. One day, I suddenly found negative balance in my account and when I approached, I was told that it was for the demat. I explained to them that I had no transaction. The staff assured to get back in half an hour. Not only did they get back but also set right my account.
I also have a credit card from this bank. I happened to visit a textile showroom where after purchasing I gave them my credit card. But it didn’t work. Then, I had to use my wife’s card to make the payment. This was an incident I forgot. But after five days, the bank staff called me on my mobile, narrated the incident and apologised for a temporary computer problem. The staff also said they were giving me some bonus point which I could use for purchase of some product. It was a sweet surprise that had a positive impression about the bank on me.
Not just that, every now and then they call me and take my permission if they want to upgrade my credit limit. In contrast, there is another international bank which thrust an upgraded card on me for which I had to pay. Not just that, without any information it froze my earlier card in favour of the upgraded one. This left me with a bitter experience at a petrol bunk which had the attendant asking me if I had enough credit in my card!
I did give an earful to the bank’s people but from that moment I decided never to have any relation with that bank. Let me give another example of another international bank which also extended its credit card. Rather, I agree to avail it because its salesperson was pleading so much. I availed of the credit once and paid it promptly. I decided to use is sparingly. But within a month as I was holidaying with my family in Kolkata, I got a prompt message from this bank saying my credit limit has been cut to one-tenth! Imagine my shock and my position if I had carried only that card for payments during that trip? Again, the other card saved me.
I also would like to narrate this incident with a orthopaedic. This happened some 10 years ago. I twisted my knee, mainly due to a ligament injury. When I visited his joint, he asked me to take an x-ray. On seeing it and my knee, he simply threw the X-ray and said I would have to undergo Arthroscopy to find out the problem. I got upset since it means I would have to be bed-ridden at a time when I simply cant given my family circumstances. Luckily for me, my colleague said I could always go in for a reference to another person. That took me to another doctor who said nothing was wrong and it was enough if I did physiotherapy. In a couple of months, I was back to normal.
Then, again two years ago while trying to defend a penalty corner I ran and twisted my knee again. This time, I went to another who almost wrote the end of my hobby of playing hockey. Again colleagues asked me to visit another ortho who summarily threw out the X-ray I had taken earlier saying it can’t be taken into account since it was taken after the knee got twisted. He just examined my knee, asked to do physio-therapy and medicines.
Sure, it took over six months but then I feel far better. I still dread how big a hole could have been made in my pocket had I gone with the earlier suggestions.
These are examples of who people’s trust is built. Things don’t happen overnight. The ortho who I referred to as throwing away the X-ray has patients flocking to him from as far as 300-400 km from Chennai. So much is the faith people have in him and his integrity!
The same thing holds good for any business, including eateries, hotels, FMCG, electronics.
The lesson in management or business is simple. Be sincere, be over-reaching and be frank. If you think you can handle something, just tell the customer. If things are going to be delayed, tell the client or customer. Any inconvenience to the client, you must tell him or her. Not just that, my banker even alerts me if my wife’s account lies dormant and faces the danger of being frozen.
Any business is about keeping the customer or client happy. As long as you ensure that, very rarely do you face hardship. Finally, remember people are willing to pay a price for the service!
