Why lose it all when you can get more than you envisioned in the beginning?
Photo: Google chrome
Yes, you call the shots; you're the umpire.
My mum would always tell us when we're being lazy and refusing to do chores around the house, that “even if you employ a hundred and one helpers in your house, it can only be the way you want it to be when you show those helpers that you know what you're doing and they're only there for extra help and to earn their keep”. That way, even when they want to do something that's wrong in your abscence, they'll be scared to do it because they know you'll notice it soon as you return. I saw the post below on Facebook and it took my mind to something I'd been wondering about.
Photo: a screenshot from a post on Facebook
There's this beautiful saloon/ makeup studio close to my house. The exterior is welcoming and the interior is also not bad. You're first drawn by the beautiful pictures on the glass doors and then by the big mirror with adjourning white lights. This is good for business, yes.
On my first visit, I noticed the disorganization. There were about six girls inside, plus the madam and one customer, and the air was very thick. I gathered that the madam was angry with one of the girls and wasn't even trying to hide it even though she was attending to a customer. After she was done, she left the shop for a house call and the girls started commenting about her hot temper. That's one.
Before I got them to attend to me, I had to scowl and make my distaste obvious. It took the girls five minutes going back and forth about who'll attend to my nails. I didn't say anything. I'll add that it took more than thirty minutes to fix my nails cos the girl (turned out that she was the victim of the madam's anger...my luck 😶) was taking serious breaks to express her anger through body language and add her mouth in all the gossiping going on.
People believe that you can say anything in a saloon and that's not a lie. Notice that gist will always come up where women are gathered and everybody's opinions are welcome, but this gist was inside gist that customers are normally not meant to hear. Now I know that the madam of the saloon has a bad temper and a bad attitude, although it wasn't hard to detect as she didn't even pay me any attention when I came in.
The second time I visited was because the saloon was my last resort as there was no light and I needed to stretch my hair and their generator was on. I stayed at the door and said ‘hello’ more than twice before one of the girls turned her eyes to look at me. No welcome, no come in, just ‘ yes?? ’ and from a girl of just about 17 years old. Hehehe. I told them what I wanted to do and sat. No professionalism, just plenty talks amongst themselves and one girl was even pushing me whenever she needed to carry something from the drawer close to where I sat. Omo.
Very important part. I recently saw the owner of the saloon walking on the street with two of the girls I met making noise in the shop on both occassions. It was then I realised that they are in fact her close friends who come to gist, eat, scatter the place and go home.
Now, it's not my place to tell anybody how to run their business but I want to state that if you're depending on the exterior or interior design of your shop to keep customers, you have failed.
For online business owners, if you think you're the only one selling boots or clothes that people can't resist, thereby ignoring the customer warfare part of your business, your business is about to fold up. You don't have to go to school to learn business ethics. I feel when you know what you want, you'll do all that is ethically necessary to keep your business running. I'm not saying be a people pleaser because I know and have experienced firsthand how rude customers can be. There are customers who even come to test your patience. They'll ask for the price and beat it down so much you'll wonder if you should just dash them the goods. There are others who'll pick offense at every single thing. You don't even want to be an online vendor on marketplace 😅 you'll tear your head off.
One thing I've learnt to do is be professional in my dealings and not show my desperation. There's a way you'll arrange your English that the person would marvel. Remember that some people think you opened a shop or an online platform to beg royally 😄
Of course, learn to swallow your pride and deal patiently, but also know how to sweetly change if for people. I once told my little sister something one time when she was very pissed at someone, I said, “ there's a way you'll insult someone that they'll be pondering if you really insulted them because of the manner you'll put it".
A RECAP OF THE MAJOR STORIES/HIGHLIGHTS
- Know your drive for starting your business
- Try to set reminders so you don't get carried away/ lose your drive along the line.
- If you have helpers, show them that you know what you're doing so that you can earn your respect
- Let your friends know their boundaries. Share your ideas with less people.
- Use your common sense if not you'll regret your foolishness quick.
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