Expect Less, Get More

There was such a time in this world when business men and woman strived to start a business that would provide a service to their community. Their riches came from knowing they were helping everyone they could, and the bonus was the pay and support for their family. They never argued with a customer when something was not as it should be, they didn’t try to jack up the price of their services because they were behind on bills or when someone in a nice car drove up. They were honest, they decent and they knew the real secret to making money.

Try this equation out:

Honest Business + Honest Customers = Your Long Term Value

Think about every customer as a small investment in real estate. You want to think about the long run of your investment with them, especially if you want them to invest in you and your services. When they invest in you, they not only buy again and again, they also tell their friends, and we all know that W.O.M. is the best form of advertising.

Lets go over some very easy ways that you can Get Back to the Basics, and start setting yourself up for better business:

 Don’t Do Anything You Don’t Love

Time and time again, people in this country go to school, study for years and then work a job they hate, for their whole lives. The few of those people who are smart enough to break away from the cycle, are the ones who take the big risk and become and entrepreneur. If your reading this, either you are already an entrepreneur, or you are thinking about becoming one.

Now, whether your already a pro who is making some bucks, or you are just thinking about taking the jump, it is important to remember that the best secret to making money, is doing something you love.

There is no “wrong” answer when it comes to what you love. If you make puzzle’s, then get out that jig saw and make the next puzz 3d set. If you have an itch for cleaning, love to do it, start up a cleaning company that will benefit the masses. If your forte is using a brush and cutting those fine lines, grab a van and some friends and start painting houses. There are tons of options, and more than enough room for creativity. You aren’t even limited by the sky now, as the stars are just a short reach away from there.

When your work is what you love, that will make you a happier person. Increasing your health, well-being, relationships, and income potential.

Work You Love + What You Do = More Money & Better Health

Remember: Your Talented, But Your Not Gandi

Its great to that you offer a valuable service to your customers and that you do your best to make sure everything is top dollar and quality, but remember that your not doing something for them that no one else can do. Even if you’re doing something new that no one else can do, most likely it is something they can go with out, when given the option.

The idea with this tip, is to remember your Humility. Again, grandma would love this part. Humility is remembering that you are human, and so are your customers, can help you earn a better relationship with your customers and clients. Which will bring in more money and business in the long run.

If you bid a job at a certain rate and a few things come up on the way, don’t worry so much about the extra time. It was in hindsight that you would have realized it would take longer. Your customer will appreciate not being surprised by paying for the extra labor, and most likely will give you a generous tip for your extra time.

If your customer has an issue with their budget, but still really want your product or service, tell them you’ll work with in their budget. This one works great at a first time customer discount, and is especially appreciated by your customers who have been around a while.

There are so many ways you can make more money, just by humbling yourself a little. Take care of the change if your customer is short a few bucks, or take the time to clean up their car when your done working on it.

Simple Humility + Happy Customers = More Value

The Customer is ALWAYS Right

Its stands the test of time. Even when a customer is wrong, they are still Right.

Its really simple to explain, as you might be wondering how I can say this. We have all been in that time and place when a customer was clearly wrong and just trying to pull the wool over our eyes. We fight and struggle to be polite until we are blue in the face explaining to them how we can’t do our job for free and they must pay the price for the product or service. What happens when we are done and our face is blue and worn out? That’s right, we give up. Which either means we end up giving the customer a refund, a discount or some other concession that we would rather not have. Heaven forbid that we might not have to do business with such a person again…

The truth is, you do want their snoody business. You don’t want it when they are riled up and complaining though, and those times are bound to happen more than once. The trick to succeeding and keeping even your most troublesome customers, is to remember that they are right, all the time.

You don’t have to feel they are right, or agree with them in truth, but you do have to try and look at it from their point of view, and then tell them they are right in a way.

Example: A man drives into a mechanic shop and demands for his money back on a service he had done for his car the day before.

The Man: “This is horrible service! I bring my car in here to be fixed and it comes out worse than it was!”

The Mechanic: “How is your car acting now sir?”

The Man: “None of the lights work, the radio won’t turn on and the cigarette lighter won’t light!”

The Mechanic looks up the mans invoice for work done on the car and notices that they replaced his break pads and changed his oil. Neither service would have effected the mans lights, radio or cigarette lighter.

The Mechanic: “Are the brakes in your car working properly?”

The Man: “Yes, but I don’t see what that has to do with the lights and radio, they were working just fine when I brought the car to you.”

The Mechanic: “Your right sir, I can imagine it must be very inconvenient for your radio and lights not to be working properly. Would you mind showing me?”

The Man takes the mechanic to his car and shows him the lights, radio and lighter.

The Mechanic: “It appears that their might be a few fuses that have blown, do you mind if I check?”

The Man lets the mechanic check the fuses in the car.

The Mechanic finds the dead fuses and replaces them right there. The Man, amazed that it was only a couple of fuses, realizes that the fuses could have had nothing to do with the brakes or oil that were changed the day before.

The Man: “Wow.. Thank you for changing those for me. I didn’t know it could have been them. I could have changed those myself.. Do I owe you anything?”

The Mechanic: “That’s alright sir, if I were in your shoes, I could understand being frustrated. I do accept tips though!”

It may not be a story book example, but it is still worth the idea! Don’t fight with your customers! Let them be right, it will save you the arguments and the wasted energy. Did you notice in the example that the mechanic did tell the customer he was right? He didn’t say he should get his money back, or admit to being the cause of the problem, but he did admit that it would frustrating for the customer. In the end, he did nothing but listen to what the customer said was the problem, showed him what the problem was, without arguing or telling the customer he was wrong. In the end, the customer was embarrassed at having blown up over something so small, that he didn’t even remember he had wanted his money back.

That was true story.

The only thing you gain by proving a someone is wrong, is their utter dislike for you. Which does nobody any good. Try making it a personal game with yourself, to turn an unhappy customer into a happy customer. You be richer for it.

Happy Customer + More Business = A Happier You

Reasonable Prices

Business after business jack up their prices year after year, until no one can afford that service. It could be one of their most used services, but it doesn’t matter, as long as the company makes money.

That is such a backward way to do business if you want to keep your customers long term as well as gaining new customers!

Now, I don’t want anyone to think that being “cheap” or working for peanuts is the way to go either. What I am suggesting is that you ask for what you are worth. There’s no reason to charge such a high price that your customers have to break open their piggy banks to pay you.

Remember the market you are targeting, or do some research to find out, and set your prices at a reasonable rate to those who need your services or products. This way you won’t have to give away your services, but you’ll have reasonable prices that people will be glad to pay.

Reasonable Price + Quality Service = More Value & More Money

Lower Your Expectations

I don’t mean lower your own values or morals, but lower the bar of expectations on your customers, and forgive them for it.

Your customers don’t always know as much about the service or product they want to buy, and its good to remember that, and not rub it in their faces. If you forgive them for not knowing what you know, and help them find the answer themselves, without making them wrong, you both win.

Its also good to lower your expectations about what the customer can pay. They are human, and not only do they like their money, but most of them need it to, and will try to protect themselves from unworthy business. Help show them how valuable your business really is, even if that means doing them a favor.

If your customer comes to you in a time of need, forgive them for it, instead of seeing it as someone trying to swindle you, and they will remember it forever.

In the end, it comes down to this: Customers will pay you what they think you are worth. Stand up and be valuable to them, and you will earn what you are worth.