Our paperboy recently exemplified how important it is to communicate with your customer.
After several missed deliveries, I had made up my mind to write to the paper and give them a piece of my mind. Receiving a paper after you’ve left for work is simply not acceptable, I reasoned. “A paper delayed is a paper denied,” I was going to be telling them. (Not bad, eh?)
But before I did, I received the weekend paper – on time – with a nice photocopy of a handwritten note from the paperboy, expressing how he knew how frustrating it must be to not receive the paper on time. Then he explained, without sounding defensive, how hard it is to deliver papers through snowstorms. And finally, he thanked us for not having complained to the head office.
Took the venom right out of my vitriol. And made me think. A. He understands. B. He explained what happened, and how it was beyond his control. C. He said “thanks”. Now, if we use those same three steps, and are proactive about it like he was, how many scrapes can we avoid in our business dealings?
Needless to say, I’m not lodging a complaint.
