What I want to discuss in this article is the basic idea of honesty. The internet is a fantastic place to do business, but with the constant flood of spyware, malware and spam, it can be scary and very frustrating for the average user. I was shocked, but not surprised, to see the unethical behavior of businesses that use pop-ups and spam to sell the product. This is not surprising since those business practices work. Any of us who have worked in this field for a while know that he is the Traffic King.
My experience is honestly coming back for integrity when dealing with customers. It may not be money quickly, but I can look at myself in the mirror in the morning and know I did the right thing. I will not have a customer on sale overnight to a customer who cheated to buy my product, I will have a customer for a lifetime. It’s not always about the bottom line of making money. It should be about service and product value. Over the years I have been in the business of cleaning computers completely full of viruses, trojans and spam than I have ever had in computer builds. Number one complaint 'I want to use my computer, do not worry about viruses and Trojans and updates !!!' Do I benefit from unethical business practices? Yes, I do when I spend an hour cleaning the computer. Should I take the time to teach the customer? You bet! I spend an hour to two hours with the client after cleaning or building the computer. Will I lose money through this practice? Yes I do, but I get respect from the customer and that customer will always come back.
One of the major challenges in doing business online is that we are not always able to keep up with our customers. However, there are ways to bring value to your customer and replicate the business. It does not cost much to call and thank anyone for their business. It does not cost much to send a thank you card. Many times we forget that email is not the only way to communicate. This is not always the best way to communicate with the spread of spam. The internet is a very personal place. This is a moral challenge for all of us trying to sell a product or business online. Is it possible to deliver too much with declining returns? This is where we always offer advice or suggestions to the customer. Over time, I can guarantee that the word will revolve around and that your business will grow into a core group of customers who value your service and tell others.
Being a small business is a challenge in the fast retail world of chain stores. We can not offer huge discounts in large chain stores, but we can offer a service price for the product. I challenge anyone in the IT industry to take a little extra time to teach users the do's and don'ts of surfing the web. This will benefit your business and the customer as well.
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