Raven's Work From Home Resources

In my personal life I don't spend alot of time worried about what people think of me. If people choose to make inaccurate statements or snap judgements about me, I couldn't care less if my conscience is clear. My personality and preferences are not up for negotiation with the outside world. I am, take it or leave it.

This is a very healthy approach for your personal life, but it is not good business policy. While you should not compromise your dreams and need to maintain certain standards, you cannot appear to be inflexible and unapproachable to clients and customers. Everyone wants to deal with people who treat them with the respect and importance due them. If you don't do this they will go elsewhere, if you do they will be happy and continue to deal with you.

I take portraits for the bulk of my living right now. Often customers are scheduled back to back in such a way that it feels as though I am operating an assembly line. While I need to work with that level of efficiency, I should NEVER develop that attitude. Every client must feel as though they are the only one in the room for the few seconds I have them. My enthusiasm, my "glad to see you expression," that little joke I share with the subject and the care I take to get the "best" expression has to be consistent from beginning to the end of my day. It has to be there whether I am at a school dance working for the company or at a wedding working freelance.

People will remember you even if you don't have the time to remember them. I spent a few minutes joking with a sad looking little boy (he actually had allergies, but I thought he'd been crying at first) during my second season as a school photographer. Since I was working for my company, obviously how I acted reflected on the company, but it also reflected on me personally.

Apparently I made his day. A few weeks later at the mall I felt a tap on my side as I was approached by the same allergy ridden young man. He introduced me to his Mother as "that nice picture lady who told me the cow joke." She asked me if I had a card in case the family wanted pictures taken at their family reunion. Since I also freelanced, of course I had a card!

As this example shows, doing your job with your heart in the right place will lead to new opportunities. It also leads to something called "word of mouth advertising." Having a stranger state that they found your business through a friend is one of the best things that can happen to your business.

One the flipside, bad experiences which are not dealt with properly will drive people away. It can take years to develop a good name for yourself in your business, especially if there are many of the same type available in a given area. A few angry clients with big mouths can destroy everything you've done.

Words, like dandelion seeds, are impossible to regather once let loose. They can spread far and wide and take root where you least expect them to. And if you don't have any idea that people are dissatisfied, there is nothing you can do to correct the bad advertising you are receiving. Therefore, it's best to deal with customers before they have a chance to poison your company name.

How does one do this? Here are a few ideas, there may be more, depending on what it is that you do:

1. Offer Quality Products and Services for a Good Price. This way there should be little reason to complain in the first place.
2. Be Accessible. If they can't find you to let you know they are unhappy quicky, they may give up and go away mad. This is not good.
3. Have a Plan. The best laid plans of mice and men go awry once in a while, it happens. Determine, as much as you can, in advance how you will deal with it. Under what circumstances will you typically offer a refund, exchange or replacement? If you do in home hair dressing, what will you typically do if your perm ends up damaging the client's hair beyond reasonable expectations? What about discounts or credit for items which arrive late or customers who complain that they were not dealt with cheerfully? Sometimes things come up for which we cannot plan, but having a clear idea what you usually do when will set the tone for the exceptions.
4. Have a Publically Accessible Policy. Money back guarantees are great, but what does the customer have to prove in order to receive it (ie return the product, take a picture of the product, nothing at all)? Making sure the customer knows that you do not (normally) offer cash back if you don't lets them know up front what your policies are and helps you maintain the correct path in dealing with the more difficult of the lot. Letting them know which numbers to call or what information needs to get to you when requesting restitution helps them better prepare themselves for your needs, leaving both of you less irritated.
5. Resolve Complaints Respectfully. The desired result of a complaint is action which leaves the customer or client feeling satisfied with the outcome and the company keeping the clients' respect. If you feel you have been "taken" by a client or customer, it was a less than successful resolution as much as it is when a customer or client feels that you have "put it to them." The most effective way to deal with this issue is to treat the customer with cheerfulness and respect. Clearly, proactively and happily lay out the options available to the client/customer and if they are not pleased, actively listen to what they feel is fair. Appear to be approachable, fair and flexible and the average costomer or client will respond in kind. While we can't please some people no matter what we do, we can still retain our professional dignity while we come to this conclusion.
6. Resolve Complaints Promptly. We can be as professional sounding as we like, but if it takes three months for the customer to get assurance that you will replace the defective item they ordered they will not be happy. The longer it takes to deal with a dispute...the more the customer/client expects as compensation and the more chances they have to spread discontent amongst their friends, associates and internet contacts. Deal with the it as soon as you know they are unhappy.
7. Keep Records. This may not seem as obvious as the rest of the suggestions. If you record the customer name/account number, product or service, what was done, the customer's reaction and other things you find appropriate you can look back and examine the record for patterns. Perhaps you have a supplier you need to stop dealing with, perhaps the method you do use to complete transactions causes problems, perhaps the shipping method you use is unreliable...or perhaps you have a rash of customers who complain in order to receive discounts or refunds. You need to know these things if you want to effectively do business. Records will show you this long before it might dawn on you naturally.

The more your clients and associates are pleased to do business with you, the better your reputation will be. Your future is determined by the actions you take on a daily basis and how you deal with those you come in contact with. Remember to do business with a good heart, respect and honesty and you will aquire the good reputation you desire. A name in business is worth more than any advertising you purchase.

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