Friday, August 26, 2011

Networking and Customer Service are Important



Networking is key in business. I hope that if my name is mentioned, the reaction will be positive. Businesses have to work hard to keep customers by building goodwill which in turn means building a good name. I have been blessed to work with good people who have built a name for themselves. Once I say that I know that person, the conversation or transaction goes smoother.

I think what builds goodwill is when a business acknowledges the customers' rights and feeling. I do no agree that the customer is always right because there are many cases when we are not. However, situations can be dealt with in such a way to alleviate the harshness of a situation.

I had a bank teller tell me something that I did not like. I carried some dollar bills to be changed to bigger bills and the young lady told me that I was showing the first sign of money laundering. I actually ended up leaving that bank to go to another one to get them changed. I reflected on the situation and I wrote the bank explaining to them that I have been a long term customer and I wished to use more services. I asked them to offer the tellers more training because $75 in one dollar bills could come from many different sources - like my piggy bank. The bank was excellent in their response and apologized. I felt proud to be a customer once again.

That bank solidified that goodwill for me. I have had several other good experiences but I have had my share of bad too. I feel that I am professional and that I try my best to get my job done. Therefore I expect nothing less when I am paying for a service.

New entrepreneurs have to bear customer service heavily in mind and need to maintain solid business contacts. Even if there are competitors, still show a good face because it will prove to help you in the long run. In life, networking is important because these contacts can remain lifelong counterparts. Networking may start in school, church, at the gym or even at the grocery store. We never know who will turn out to be a key person that may help to push our career or business along.

Keep that goodwill going strong!

ribbon

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