Lesson 6

Honesty and Integrity

In one of my other classes this semester, we are talking about honesty and integrity in business and why it is so important.  I concluded that it is necessary because it helps stabilize the volatility of the economy.  When someone chooses to act dishonestly in business, someone else is affected negatively.

My conclusion was definitely validated today.  My wife and I are in the process of finding a new apartment.  We had a deposit down on a unit and we went to sign the lease today.  We asked to inspect the unit first, and I am sure glad we did.  We walked and we were floored by the poor condition of the unit and the differences between this unit and the model that we fell in love with. We were told the previous tenants were not smokers, but it smelled like smoke and there were cigarettes on the patio outside.  I felt scammed and extremely disappointed.

I just wanted to share that experience because I thought it had a great parallel.  As far as this class' material is concerned, Stew Leonard's experience with customer service stood out to me more than anything.  He realized how important customers are to a business from his experience with the eggnog (and with a little wisdom from his wife).  Customers are the most important of a business, because they alone determine the future of your company.

However, customers are not just external consumers of your product or service, but also your employees, which are your most valuable asset.  I would submit that you can apply the principles of customer service to your employee relationships as well.  These qualities include: respect, a sense of belonging, and a genuine attitude that they are valued.

My $100.00 challenge is still coming along, not as fast as I hoped it would though.  I have been incredibly busy with work, and moving and other things that I have not spent much time developing my product and eventually selling it.  However, my plan is to spend a significant amount of time on it this week.

Till next time...