This is Part 6 in my series, The Old Rules of Business That Still Matter. Links to previous Rules are available in right sidebar.


 

As mentioned before, I've had amazing response to my Old Rules series. The cool thing has been how people have reacted so personally. When I asked for your suggestions, the response was gratifying. I asked my BFFs (that's YOU by the way) to share your own ideas of Old Rules and so far have received these:

BFF Dr. Goerge Melnykovich said, "Always hand write thank you notes and put a real postage stamp on the envelope."

BFF Kathleen Shchmatz wrote, "A significant mentor of mine, Tom B. Babcox, entrepreneurial business publisher, announced to me to "take the time to write a short letter.". And what he meant applied to awkward problem-solving, taking a long breath before writing an angry letter, and surely taking the time to write a sincere and literate reply."

BFF Mark Winterbottom shared, "…adapt the face to face courtesy of old to the digital age, start e-mails with thank you for your enquiry or I hope you are well and finish them with if you should need any further help then please feel free to contact anyone of our friendly office team…"

BFF David Sims wrote, "If people don't feel better about themselves after meeting with you then they did before they met with you, you won't get them as a client."

One of BFF David Vandenburgh's Founding Principles is, "The secret to SUCCESS is CONSISTENCY"

Pacific Northwest BFF Craig Weindling sent, "Open Ears. Close Mouth. Engage Brain."

BFF John Wolfe commented, "I want everyone in our store to make EVERY customer feel special and cared for, no matter how small or how large the transaction."

BFF John Turnbull sent, "You are in the business of solving people's problems."

BFF Jeff Moormeier didn't write anything,he sent this (click image to view larger):

Belly to Belly

 

 

 

 

Most of these comments connect back to Old Rule #1: People Do Business With People. But there's also another congruent message I believe I'm reading and that brings me to the Old Rule of Business That Still Matters #6:

Be Brilliant at the Basics

Be trustworthy

Do what you said you were going to do

Do it when you said you were going to do it

Do it right the first time 

Tell your customer immediately if you cannot do those things

Actually answer the phone when it rings

Don't be late

Say Please and Thank You

Do all those things my BFFs said to do.

Be brilliant at the basics and you might be surprised at how much you separate yourself from the competition.