The candidates I employed were always very keen to please and would be on their best behaviour – for the first couple of weeks! Then the timekeeping would start to slide (always with great excuses); they’d forget to pass on messages or even miss the post with urgent quotes (this was in the days before email!).
What I could never understand was why they applied for the job in the first place if they weren’t prepared to do it well – all the time.
Unfortunately now I have my own business, I find many suppliers behave like this too; the size of the operation is irrelevant. Not only is it disappointing to receive sub-standard products or services, it’s incredibly stressful for the consumer who really doesn’t want to have to keep checking up or chasing something they’ve paid good money for!
Anyone who’s on their best behaviour just to get a job or win a new client is wasting everyone’s time. It’s also a sure-fire way to get a reputation for being unreliable or providing slipshod service.
Before the advent of social media, it was well known that a dissatisfied customer would tell many more people about their experience than would a satisfied customer (unfair but true). Social media enables us to write about our customer service experiences, both good and bad, and broadcast to hundreds or even thousands of people.
So to those suppliers who are only on their best behaviour for a short while, I say think carefully what you want to be known for!
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