After all these years, I finally faced one of my fears in this business.
I just had a conversation with a colleague about a situation with one of my clients. I woke up at 2:48 am with a twist in my gut that I had made one of the biggest errors with a client.
Booking a wrong date in my industry is quite frowned upon. I have done everything possible, implemented every system I could muster up to ensure I avoid this embarrassing situation. At the same time, knowing it will only be a matter of time until a human mistake is made. Today was just that day.
I booked a session in one province for the same date I was supposed to be in a different part of the world. Talking to my colleague for advice in how to handle this situation, I was surprised by the solutions he suggested; consisting of every possible situation except admitting the error. So I consulted others, and again, to my surprise, I heard every scenario except telling the truth.
As nerve wracking as it was, I decided to go the route which seemed less travelled – tell the truth.
I called up Barry, my client, and told him exactly what happened, and as I hoped, he was very understanding of the situation and we rearranged our schedules. After everything was confirmed, I offered some free books and CD’s for his staff.
Keep in mind that our clients do know we are human and human mistakes are to be expected at times. The main concern that our clients have, is how will we handle situations that do not run the path of expectations?
By being up front and honest with Barry, I have also increased my level of trust with him.
If anyone has any other suggestions on how I should have handled this situation, please do share.
Sell with honesty.
Fred Sarkari
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You make such a great point, “a liar should have a good memory.”
I would rather spent my mental energy thinking about all thegood in people and in turn this world, then to worry about upkeeping lies.
That is my way of saying I do not have a good enough memory for lies, fortunately.
Fred Sarkari
Proud of u fred. Integrity above all else. one should accept nothing less from another. Unfortunately, not only do we accept it, we expect it. i am glad u rose above the influence and listened to your inner voice.
when we were kids we all had autograph books that our friends and family wrote little pearl’s of wisdom in. My dad wrote this and it has stayed with me all my life,
When money is lost, nothing is lost
When life is lost, something is lost
When character is lost, everything is lost
Character is the building block of humanity. Lose that, and you are nothing but an empty shell.
Stay safe, stay happy, Tanderosti
Arbez, I could not have said it better my self.
The beauty about life is that there is always an element of surprise, the unknown no matter how well we prepare. Unseen circumstances can take away anything and everything we have in life, in time we will lose everything.
That being said, there is only one thing that cannot be taken away from us, ever. It is the only thing that only we choose to give up and once we have chosen to give it up it will take a life time to get it back.
That one thing my friends, is your name and what your name stands for. Who you are as a person not by your chosen words but by the way you live your life consistently under any circumstance that life shoots your way.
Next time you are at a cross roads, ask your self one question – What is your name worth for an eternity to come?
Keep Smiling
Fred Sarkari
Fred
I could not have said what you and Arbez have said any better. In any society that brings up children, they are taught initially to be fundamentally good people. That requires a strong solid grounding in ethical behaviour. Every religion emphasizes ethical behaviour. It is only when one starts to move away from this grounding, that one starts to see the disastrous effect of their own actions, and then people wonder why such bad things happen to them?. they do not seem to realise that they bring about their own negativity. In my practice prior to my semi retirement, I have often “made mistakes”. It was always easier to own up to the mistake. In a 100% of the incidents, my clients have understood, and we have had a wonderful relationship. Some as long as 35 years. The client always appreciates the fact that you thought enough of them and respected them enough to be truthful and up front, rather than make up excuses. This respect for their intelligence is always doubly reciprocated.
Ushta Te.
Sarosh
Sarosh, Thank you for your comments.
I will go even one step further in your opening comment. I believe children are not just initially taught to be fundamentally good people, I believe we are all born as such.
Now the values that our children are surrounded by determines which direction their own values will externalize in their behavior.
We cannot follow our children everywhere they go and help them make the ‘right’ decisions. All we can do is give them the values, not by our words but by our consistent actions, that they can use as guidelines in determining what choices to make.
When I had made the above error mentioned in my post, I have to be honest, at times my mind did wonder into how to best handle the situation. Until I reevaluated my thoughts and said to my self, I should not be looking into how to best handle the situation. I should ask myself, what is the right thing to do in this situation. What resonates with my internal values no matter what the outcome would be?
That my friend is integrity, being true to your inner values not only when it is convenient to do so.
Sarosh, proud of the impact you are making in this world, never loose sight of it.
Fred Sarkari