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Poor Ethics Reflect Poor Business Professionalism & Potentially Poor Business Results

Poor Ethics Reflect Poor Business Professionalism & Potentially Poor Business Results

Years ago, when earning my Masters, I came across “What to Do If You’re Riding a Dead Horse?” and put it into one of those save files. (The source was unknown.)

1. Buy a stronger whip
2. Change riders.
3. Declare, “This is the way we have always ridden this horse."
4. Appoint a team to revive the horse.
5. Ignore the dead horse. . . . What dead horse?
6. Create a training session to improve your riding skills.
7. Outsource contractors to ride the dead horse.
8. Appoint a committee to study the dead horse.
9. Arrange to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.
10. Harness several dead horses together for increased speed.

Native Americans simply answer this question with one word – dismount.

Yet, in business, when we are supposed to actively pursue all qualified prospects because of our commitment to our ethics and customer service, many times we, as sales professionals, business coaches and business owners, continue to ride dead horses. This behavior is very expensive because it wastes our time.

During the last several months, I have had to dismount numerous times even though doing so might be perceived as poor customer service. However, a professional and ethical business sales person should never ride a dead horse.

What continually surprises me is the number of people who call, leave their name, leave their phone, leave the purpose of their call and then when you call back within a couple of hours, they never return the call. For me, many of these calls are from realtors who say that they will get back to you in less than 24 hours. Maybe they should add the clause only if you are a potential prospect!

Then when you catch them in your due diligence of making that contact, they ask you to call back at another time. You understand because everyone is busy and so you call back at the appointed time. Again, you leave another voice mail because they are not there.

The lack ethics is demonstrated by through this incredibly poor professionalism. When I tell someone I will be around to take a call, I am always available because I respect his or her time. Never do I “blow off” the call. If another call interferes with the anticipated call, I end the conversation as quickly, ethically and professionally as possible. If the caller left a voice mail, I immediately return the call before taking any other calls or appointments.

One hears adults talking about the poor work ethics of young people. I believe in some cases that these same adults need to look in the mirror at their own ethics and professionalism.

So take action right now and update your voice mail if you tell people that you return calls in 2, 4 or 24 hours. Your actions of not calling back are much more about your lack of ethics and poor professionalism than the person calling you.

Remembered, how you felt when people wasted your time by not returning you calls or taking your calls when they promised to be available. And more importantly, you never know what that person might say to someone else who just could be your next client.





Poor Ethics Reflect Poor Business Professionalism Potentially Poor Business Results - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.

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Casey Gollan
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Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website

David Barr
David Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website

Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website

John Brennan
John Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website

Jeff Foster
WebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas.  We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing
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David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website


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Leanne Hoagland-Smith
(Visit Leanne's Website) Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/re d-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith is a Platinum author on EvanCarmichael.com
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