The Value

I didn't realize how little the value of business was valued until just recently when I was overcharged by several dollars.

I was using the taxi service offered by my office and after a two hour shuttle I was returned to my house. The driver mumbled the fare over his shoulder and held out his hand for the money. But the amount he was charging me was a few dollars over the negotiated rate my office had agreed upon with the taxi company.

Thinking that I must have misunderstood the driver I asked that he repeat his fare. He repeated his inflated fare even after I asked him to double check. It was late, there was no supervisor in their main dispatch office and I didn't want to argue so I paid him what he asked for.

I, later, got in touch with the corporate sales manager and got the situation cleared up and a reimbursement of my money. But what struck me was the short-sightedness of the taxi driver. He put his livelihood, his reputation and that of the taxi company future earnings and business on the line in order to make a few extra dollars.

It pointed out a flaw in his reasoning and a principle should follow. Always round off the deal in the client's favor.

We will always be confronted with situations in which, while no one is watching, we could take advantage of the client. That may mean making more money on that deal but it will, without a doubt, mean a loss of a business relationship. And after it is all said and done its the personal relationships we make along the way that validate our words and produce dividends beyond what we can see, taste or feel.

G

-- Post From My iPhone