Mistakes Can Earn You Business

First off, let me start out by thanking Ken McCormick for leaving a lot of good comments here lately, as such comments often lead to me writing new articles.

Ken commented on an article I wrote a couple months back about considering how you are treating your customers. He said:

Customers are # 1, without them we are out of business. We all make mistakes, it’s human. When a business owner makes a mistake and irritates a customer it’s time to swallow your pride and make things better, no matter what. Why would you not? If you don’t, you might lose money. I heard a story about a business owner who made a mistake and then went to such lengths to correct it and "make it up to" the customer, that the customer told everyone about it. Almost like it was a heroic act. Customer service will either drive profits or losses, the result is up to you.

Ken couldn’t be more right. If you make a mistake and do everything you can to make the situation right, most customers will greatly appreciate it. In fact, it could even leave a better impression on them than if no mistake had been made to begin with.

I’m not saying to start making more mistakes, but showing a customer that you care is something that they will take with them, and quite possibly pass on to others.

Take for example, my story about the Insurance guy. I was so pleased by the way he conducted business and with the respect I was treated with, that I went on to write about it, and inspire at least one person (that I know of) to pursue his services.

By making customer service a top priority, you’re only helping the image of your brand. People will talk about good experiences. And even if that experience includes you making a mistake, your helpfulness will be what is taken away, and there’s nothing like positive word-of-mouth.