In a day of high competition it is often the “Big Name”, high recognition, or lowest price business that makes the sale. Don’t get me wrong, I like to get the lowest possible price, but I also recognize there is a premium to be placed on information, customer service, and a general feel that you’re making the right decision.
I recently upgraded my wireless phone account, moving a separate line from one provider to my main provider. Same dollars, just a new phone and a few extra services. In addition I added a line, or should I say I let my daughter add a line onto my plan completely at her expense.
I actually own a web-based site that would allow me to make these purchases from myself and receive the commission and rebate, but upon exploring my own service there were some questions about the billing. After calling the provider who tried diligently to get me to make the purchase from them, I realized that I had more questions that they were not prepared answer. What hope did I, a third-party amatuer, have of making a good decision and getting my questions answered? So I did what I think was the most logical decision.
I went to a “Big Name” store, i.e. Radio Shack, where I had earlier met a remarkable young man named Brian, who had an amazing amount of knowledge about all of the services I was shopping and was surprisingly a bigger technology geek than I am. Here I must bow to his superior knowledge of all things techno-geeky. Brian, (at the Clackamas Town Center store), overwhelmed my daughter and I with information on our new Blackberry’s and helped us fully understand the billing and usage limitations on our new plans.
A few weeks earlier, I needed to have some structural work done on an older vehicle that we own. The floor board had rusted through exposing the pavement below. I asked one of my clients, Rod Ashby at Ashby Machine & Hydraulic in Gresham what would be needed. He told me I would need to get some supplies, instructed me on where to find them, and then told me what the work would involve. To which I said, “Could you just get that stuff and make it right?” “Sure”, he said, so I left it in his hands. In short, I trusted him.
I could go on and on about places I’ve done business with on a similar basis. My point is, I don’t want to be the expert at technology, or mechanics, or medicine, or machining. I want to be able to learn about these things on a basic level so I can show business owners how I can help them, but when I’m using their services I want them to be the professionals in that topic.
This comes from a simple word known as “Trust”. Somewhere along the line, even with the advent of the internet and information overload, we have to decide that somebody else can be a better widget technician than we can, and that they are not going to rip us off. Sure you can save a few bucks through DIY, but wouldn’t you rather excel at your business and let them excel at theirs?
Spend a little time finding people that you can know, like, and trust and then do your business there. I firmly believe if you treat people well, you will be treated well. Provide good service at fair prices and you’ll find others that will do the same for you. Provide more in value than you ask for in dollars and you’ll never want for either.
Gary Russell
www.DefendMyLife.com
www.GoSmallBiz.com
503-519-3592
Relationship buying is critical these days because there are so many flakes who just want your money, rather then service your needs. I am no longer a trusting sole. I believe in the sign over the bar, “In God we trust, all others pay cash.”
Well that’s what you get for hanging out at the bar Mr Cole. There are trustworthy people in the world. They do exist. Don’t judge the world based on the people who hang out at the bar please. Relationship based on mutual trust or benefit is synergistic. Both parties benefit from the exchange. If we both win in a transaction then not only are we able to meet our expenses as business professionals but we can thrive and actually retain some of our hard earned money.
I approved this comment, BennyG, for posting because your point has merit. However, I would appreciate the judgemental sarcasm being kept on topic. Mr. Cole is a friend and a colleague and the places he frequents or does not frequent were not a part of the discussion. You assumed he saw the sign while patronizing the bar, when in reality there could be enough logical reasons why he saw this sign. I have seen the same sign, but I’m sure it was not in a bar, but quite honestly I cannot tell you where it was. The topic is that of building trustworthy relationships. Sometimes you have to take a chance, in taking that chance, sometimes you get burned. Most of my rearing taught me that “everyone” was out to cheat me, I choose not to live that way anymore. I choose to believe there are honorable people in the world, but I do look a little closer at their reputation now than I used to.