by Dave on March 17, 2010
I’m not talking about indiscretions or extra marital affairs. I’m talking about mistakes in customer service, or missed promises, or any version of a royal…well, you know what.
As an entrepreneur you need to take care of your clients, big time. They are the lifeblood of your business after all. When you screw up (and you will at some point), here’s how you apologize and get back on track:
Say It Now
When you make a mistake, acknowledge it to your customer as soon as you identify it. If you don’t have the fix yet, tell your customer when you will be back to them with the solution.
Face Or Phone, Not Email
Mistakes can result in emotional conversations, which don’t convey well over email. Meet face to face or at least over the phone. When we make mistakes we are impacting individuals and passive communication is not the right call.
Details
Provide them with a detailed account of the mistake and don’t downplay it. But, don’t over dramatize it either. Stick to the facts.
Acknowledge It
Recognize that you have done some damage to your client and it may even have indirect effects that you are not aware of.
Sincere Regret
Be sincere and explain how you regret it happened.
Appreciation
Give your client appreciation for being your client and sticking with you over the years.
The Fix
Bottom line, you need to make things right. Propose a solution to your client and make sure they agree to its appropriateness. Also, be prepared to offer a form of restitution.
Bury The Hatchet
Once you resolve the problem, seek confirmation from the client that you have fixed the mistake to their complete satisfaction. Take action to ensure the mistake never happens again.
Remember this: It is not about you, your product, or you service. It is all about solving client issues so they can be successful.
More helpful business stories and success lessons like this can be found in the book, 15 Bedtime Stories That Keep Entrepreneurs Awake at Night.
by Dave on February 15, 2010
I can’t say I know a lot about women’s footwear, besides the fact that my wife has a lot of it.
What I can say is that I respect a great idea when I see one.
New York University students Susie Levitt and Katie Shea, like many women (from what I hear), had a problem: When they had to walk around the city during work hours, high heels made their feet hurt. From Entrepreneur:
“They were killing our feet, but we didn’t want to give them up because we aren’t the tallest people out there,” says Levitt, 22. “So we came up with the idea of emergency footwear.”
Back at NYU for their senior year, Levitt and Shea designed a stylish, foldable black ballet flat with a carrying case that could be tucked in a handbag and pulled out when their dogs started to howl. They gave the shoes a catchy name, CitiSoles, and a reasonable price, $24.99.
Things really lined up nicely for these two entrepreneurs, who (not considering tuition) had a wealth of free help at their fingertips. The school offered them a library for research and development. Business professors could serve as consultants. NYU had lawyers who would work with the students pro bono. And what school’s public relations and marketing department, knowing a couple of their own students have a brilliant business idea, wouldn’t want to promote the living heck out of it?
Sure enough, the two were able to acquire intellectual property rights for CitiSoles, formed the company, called CitySlips, began selling, and landed articles in numerous articles in various media outlets, including the New York Times and (obviously) Entrepreneur…and offshoot blog posts such as this one, of course.
How cool.
As a man, I can’t say I’d ever think to start a women’s shoe company. The story of Levitt and Shea is not only a case of people being in the “right place at the right time,” because executing a plan like this takes smarts. Entrepreneurship like they display is rare, and it’s not for everyone. Who knows where it will lead these women in their lives. Heck…their lives are just beginning.
We enjoy hearing about entrepreneurial success stories. If you have a story you’d like to share — particularly if you have overcome a business challenge or took advantage of the market like Susie Levitt and Katie Shea did, simply go to the “tell us yours” page and submit yours. We’d love to hear from you.
