At first glance, the question, ‘Do you take responsibility for your success?’ may sound strange. The impulse is to say, of course, I take responsibility for my success! But the unstated is will you do the same regarding the mishaps as you journey toward your vision of achieving success? Now the answer may be quite different.
In any career as an employee or as the head of an organization, most will face roadblocks, disappointment, and internal upsets. Those who ultimately achieve their long-term vision versus those who make excuses and refuse to take the proper action will not do well in the end.
Experiences sometimes feel like soap operas where everything appears to fall apart. No one takes responsibility but blames the other, and it seems almost impossible to rise above the dilemma. A recent experience reveals how you may either retain a long-term client or quickly get them to run away to another provider.
Lessons to Heed and Take Responsibility for Your Success
1. Punctuality.
We have no control over accidents or roadwork, but they are an excuse. Long ago, driving on a crowded highway to reach a client’s premises required pulling off the road to call them. It’s best to tell the person you are to meet that a detour occurred and you will be late and ask if that’s okay or if they prefer to meet on a different day. The honesty and saving wasted time upfront receive great appreciation.
2. Online Meetings
We are almost all guilty of missing a scheduled online meeting. Again, an apology serves us best, along with the inquiry of whether the other person is willing to reschedule. It’s rare for anyone to refuse to reset a date.
3. Systems Not Properly Working
When a strategy or a system of another type fails to produce as we expect, it’s best to examine where we erred. Again, if a client is involved, apologize for the mishap upfront and inform them how you will fix the situation.
Experiences and Observations are the Best Teachers
It’s safe to say that any operation that serves clientele and receives payments is a business. Accordingly, hospitals and care providers are businesses that will do their best to acknowledge
They are not above their patients that come in. Helping another with a visit to a hospital entailed a grueling 3.5-hour delay. Their questionable follow-up prompts this article:
- No forewarning about a delay
- Zero communication came our way for when to expect treatment.
- The lack of apology conveys they believe that they are superior to the patients.
- A shortage of professional staff
- Excuses abound without apologizing or indicating how they will fix the issue(s). It appears they will ignore them instead.
They finally provided the service, and it was excellent. However, other providers exist within the area, which many hold in high esteem. In the future, I will seek out the competition.
First and foremost, it is an essential sales technique to without hesitation apologize for anything that does not play out OK upfront. Secondly, asking the client (in this case, the patient) about their recommendations for future interactions is best.
For any line of work, it is necessary first to take responsibility for mishaps upfront. Next, alerting clients or patients to the issues ahead of schedule and providing a brief update on how you will resolve them is to be followed with immediate attention to fix the problem (s).
From the selling perspective, it is best to ask the person involved if your plan will work to their satisfaction and wait for their response. The collaborative approach to finding agreement will likely encourage continuing client patronage of your services. Only after issues resolve to everyone’s satisfaction can you proudly take responsibility for your success!
Sales Lessons Recap:
- Be a responsible leader who will take immediate action to resolve issues.
- Apologize without excuses to the client.
- Strive to develop trust to earn a loyal clientele.
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