Don't Expect Gratitude from All Customers
Don't Expect Gratitude from All Customers
Most customers happen to have a need. And you happen to be around. When they need you, and they have the budget to buy what you offer, they can be very charming. But once the goods are delivered or the job is done, and they don~{!/~}t need you any more, they will more than likely forget you.
Don~{!/~}t get me wrong. We need those who use the products or services we offer. And we should give them respect and the benefit of the doubt. But it is foolhardy for self-employed people to expect a pat on the shoulder, a thank-you card in the mail, or a letter of appreciation written without request. On rare occasions, clients do that. There are some very nice people around. But the majority are just consumers. They, like us, have their own fears, insecurities, anxieties, and crises to cope with at work or at home. Frankly, they simply can~{!/~}t think about you too. You should be happy that you get paid on time, or get paid at all.
Some try to low-ball you. Others simply want to pick your brain without paying you for your experience and expertise. Some mistrust you because they fear that you might steal their jobs.
Your responsibility is to do a professional job in every case. You shouldn~{!/~}t be resentful of the work you put in to get the job done. It may have been more difficult~{!*~}and more crucial~{!*~}than the customer realizes. That~{!/~}s life.
Do your job, and let go. Be cordial and respectful, but keep a distance. You don~{!/~}t need to get chummy. And when you get no gratitude, you feel no resentment.
It can be frustrating if nobody tells you whether you have succeeded in your tasks. When there is no one to affirm that you~{!/~}re good, it is hard to believe that you are. Unlike in schools and colleges, there are no grades, no certificates, no diplomas, no measuring of how good you are when you complete a job. There aren~{!/~}t even employee evaluations. The only measures are the level of the bank account~{!*~}an important though not always entirely accurate indicator~{!*~}and our own assessments. Such self-evaluations can be brutal. Often, I have been unrealistically tough in judging myself. I~{!/~}m a pretty hard boss to work for.
One indication of your usefulness is if clients keep using you over and over again. But sometimes, things change and they no longer need you. They~{!/~}ll say good-bye, your job is done. And like the lone gunman of the Wild West, you will move on, knowing that you~{!/~}ve saved the lives of those who~{!/~}ve sought your help, too wise to expect any thanks.
Dont Expect Gratitude from All Customers - To learn more about this author, visit James Chan's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Entrepreneurs need good customers and good clients. These are people and organizations who have the need, the budget, an understanding that what you offer is needed. They also respect you and treat you well. You say this is a very stringent definition. You bet. Good customers and clients are hard to find.
Most customers happen to have a need. And you happen to be around. When they need you, and they have the budget to buy what you offer, they can be very charming. But once the goods are delivered or the job is done, and they don~{!/~}t need you any more, they will more than likely forget you.
Don~{!/~}t get me wrong. We need those who use the products or services we offer. And we should give them respect and the benefit of the doubt. But it is foolhardy for self-employed people to expect a pat on the shoulder, a thank-you card in the mail, or a letter of appreciation written without request. On rare occasions, clients do that. There are some very nice people around. But the majority are just consumers. They, like us, have their own fears, insecurities, anxieties, and crises to cope with at work or at home. Frankly, they simply can~{!/~}t think about you too. You should be happy that you get paid on time, or get paid at all.
Some try to low-ball you. Others simply want to pick your brain without paying you for your experience and expertise. Some mistrust you because they fear that you might steal their jobs.
Your responsibility is to do a professional job in every case. You shouldn~{!/~}t be resentful of the work you put in to get the job done. It may have been more difficult~{!*~}and more crucial~{!*~}than the customer realizes. That~{!/~}s life.
Do your job, and let go. Be cordial and respectful, but keep a distance. You don~{!/~}t need to get chummy. And when you get no gratitude, you feel no resentment.
It can be frustrating if nobody tells you whether you have succeeded in your tasks. When there is no one to affirm that you~{!/~}re good, it is hard to believe that you are. Unlike in schools and colleges, there are no grades, no certificates, no diplomas, no measuring of how good you are when you complete a job. There aren~{!/~}t even employee evaluations. The only measures are the level of the bank account~{!*~}an important though not always entirely accurate indicator~{!*~}and our own assessments. Such self-evaluations can be brutal. Often, I have been unrealistically tough in judging myself. I~{!/~}m a pretty hard boss to work for.
One indication of your usefulness is if clients keep using you over and over again. But sometimes, things change and they no longer need you. They~{!/~}ll say good-bye, your job is done. And like the lone gunman of the Wild West, you will move on, knowing that you~{!/~}ve saved the lives of those who~{!/~}ve sought your help, too wise to expect any thanks.
Dont Expect Gratitude from All Customers - To learn more about this author, visit James Chan's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to James's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 |
|
James Chan Video - James Chan, Ph.D., created the phrase "The China Formula" to help Americans understand China in one word.
Dr. Chan is President of the Philadelphia-based, independent consultancy, Asia Marketing and Management (AMM). AMM specializes in advising U.S. manufacturers, trade associations, and information companies in building business relationships in China and in exporting American-made products and services in China and Asia. To view AMM's detailed profile online, go to: www.AsiaMarketingManagement.com.
|
|
|
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Making It Happen Coaching System Speed Business Networking Universal Search TeleSeminar Etiquette |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Business Plans
Top Business Plan Blogs | |
 |
Top 50 Political Blogs
Top Political Blogs of 2009 | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||