The Customer Focus Series

Yep, you broke it.

We break things a lot. We scratch things, too. Blinds often get messed up, and then other little things break here and there on the job. We’ve had to recoat floors—even putting people up in hotels while their floors are redone. We never make a big deal out of it nor try to be cheap; instead, we fix whatever needs to be fixed. It’s just something you must build into the cost of doing business.

I’m not sure what breaking things looks like in your industry, but the same principles apply.

Admit it right away when you break stuff.

Our crews try to be proactive about problems. We tell the customer about it right away and apologize. We apologize profusely a couple of times and then get it fixed. Fix it quickly! Handle it professionally, and turn it into a positive experience. Most customers will still give us a 10 out of 10, even if we broke something and fixed it! 

Most customers do not expect you to be perfect. They break stuff and will not be surprised when you do, too (within reason). what they really want to see is how you will handle it. With lies? Tricks? Cover-up?

 Think big picture and don’t lie. You’ll damage your business.

People are gracious and will think well of you if you own up to your mistake and fix it right away. They will even go out of their way to give you a good review if you do this.

Honesty, integrity, and responsibility are powerful in business. Build muscle. Next week I’ll talk about how to apologize when it becomes necessary. See you then.