Don’t work with everyone!

As we begin to round off the first week of the New Year, I want to remind you how important it is to go into 2022 with a strong understanding, and resolve around sticking to and I’m not compromising your values for anyone!

When people start out on business, they are often prepared to take any clients and any income, but as you develop through your business journey and life, you will realise that everybody you say yes to is also saying no to someone else.

It may be that someone you started working with at one part of your business journey was a good fit, but believe me when I say, they may not always be a good fit and letting them go will be one of the most empowering things you may find yourself doing.

A lot of business owners are fearful of losing the income from an existing customer, however there is nothing more costly than heavily investing your most valuable asset of time in a customer who no longer serves your business in the same way.

Have you ever found yourself having conversations with clients because their expectation is not aligned to the agreement you have?

Any responsible business owner will take this upon themselves and hold themselves ultimately responsible for finding himself in the situation, and not clearly communicating their values and boundaries.

This may be a very hard pill to swallow, but trust me it will make your business life far more enjoyable, much easier and ultimately much more profitable.

There is definitely truth in the fact that when you do things that you love, they are easier, more enjoyable and seem to take less time, effort & energy.

Ultimate ownership of this situation, whether badly communicated or misunderstood, empowers you to resolve the situation amicably, and if necessary to part company without any ill feeling. It will not only serve you but also your customer in the long run if you are no longer a good fit, to cut them free and allow them to work with someone else who is a much better fit at this part of their journey.

Some business owners find it therapeutic, helping these bad fitting customers in finding a better solution, so that they can walk away with that head held high, and no shame in having let things slip.

Ultimately it is our responsibility as business owners to deliver the very best products and services, that meet or exceed our customers expectations. The minute this no longer remains true, it is also a responsibility to resolve this as swiftly, and with his little friction as possible. –?@ImTristanG

The same can be said as a customer, if you are no longer satisfied with the service you are receiving, be prepared to have what may be a difficult conversation with your supplier, but try not to get emotional about it. It is more about letting out facts, and stating your case, helping them to realise the position you are both in, and the outcome is you’re both looking for.

Maybe your business has developed and is focused in a different area. Maybe your customer has shifted the goalposts and expects something different to what you originally agreed. Whatever the reason, coming to resolution as swiftly as possible will serve your business, your customer, and ultimately your peace of mind

There’s absolutely no reason to have to fall out with someone, just because you have to stop doing business with them.

As I previously mentioned, if it helps you in this situation, may be a small time investment in helping them find a better fit will leave your mind at rest that you’ve done the right thing.

Which ever way you look at it, wouldn’t you rather be working with people who understand you, appreciate your work, and value your time effort and energy, over someone else who completely misses the mark on any or all of these points.

One of the most common things I find when coaching and mentoring other businesses, is that they don’t have time for all the things they wish they could do, and cutting loose a bad fitting customer, will free up time to explore new areas, develop new products and excel where time restrictions may have hindered progress.

Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news, but how you have those conversations, as well as the tone, wording, and timing all play a part in a peaceful and amicable resolution that serves everybody best.

It is very much human nature to fear that there will be backlash, in much the same way that most people would be fearful of breaking down the relationship, simply by making the decision that the working relationship is no longer a good fit. In honesty, this couldn’t be further from the truth. After all you should be able to be honest and upfront with someone in any form of relationship, and doing so should earn your respect, and you should be able to trust your instincts on how to have that conversation if your relationship is strong enough.

Having been through a situation like this, the biggest learning curve is to ensure that it is less likely to happen again. The truth is that it is impossible to eradicate, as there are so many moving parts, but you can look at your systems and processes to see where things broke down, and improve them accordingly!

The actual breakdown could be due to communication, a change in how you deliver your products or services, your pricing or administration, or any multitude of other things. It is therefore important to take a close look at the whole customer journey, and where possible ask for feedback from the customer, even as part of the resolution process.

Once you have identified where the issues are likely to lie, take time internally to tweak these systems and processes, to try and avoid any unnecessary further situations of a similar nature.

The issue may not actually lie within your systems and processes, but could be down to how members of your team communicate, depending on the size and nature of your business. Where possible try to involve other people from the business in the problem-solving process, so that they can understand the reasoning, and take responsibility when necessary, as well as feel empowered that you have their back and support them throughout.

There is a reason that I always refer to team members rather than staff members whenever talking with organisations, because even the simple change of a single word can change the whole tone of the conversation.

In the same way never make a rash decision to fire a customer, but instead walk away from the situation, give yourself time and space to think, and also try to put yourself in their shoes, and wonder how you would want this handled.

If you can walk a mile in their shoes through the process, you are far more likely to be able to offer them a solution that feels much better, and leaves you in an amicable situation, with potential of maintaining a relationship rather than destroying it..

I ensuring that your team understand how and why you do things will help you to avoid situations like this in the future, so please I implore you, involve them as much as possible, and empower them to help you problem-solve, and to create the new processes. Team members involved in this process are far more likely to follow these systems, and to take ownership of them than those who have them thrust upon them especially if a change has been made based around their behaviour.

1. How much do you involve your team in developing systems and processes?
2. Have you ever found yourself still working with someone you would rather not?
3. How did you handle the situation, and do you still have a relationship with them?

Tristan Griffiths?AKA?ImTristanG

Originally Posted : https://in9.media/20220106