Bible Verse
“Enter by the narrow gate; for waide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to distruction, and there are many go in by it.” Matthew 7:13
Christian Bible Lesson Overview
It is easy to choose the most common or simplest path. However, after some time, the simplest path may prove to be very challenging. I experienced this concept many times in business. When there is a conflict with a customer or re-seller, it seems more profitable not to make accommodations or spend time and resources addressing the challenge. Many times it seems the most profitable solution is to communicate the parts of an agreement that states the company is not responsible for specific circumstances. This approach saves time and money.
However, the next time you need a reference to close a sale, the customers you neglected are not there for you. It is not a good business practice to give in every time a customer or re-seller has an issue, but it is good practice to treat everyone with respect. The difficult path is to listen to the customer and do your best to understand their challenge. Then spend the time explaining the challenges with your company. After openly communicating both sides of the situation, work together to find a workable solution that is beneficial to both parties. The extra effort of showing consideration for the other party may lead to a long-term business relationship and a quality reference for future business.
Christian Bible Lesson for Today
I am in the software development business. We developed an E-commerce Application that we sell to wholesalers and distributors all over the world. We sell the application through re-sellers. We have had many situations where new customers realized that their business requires custom modifications to support their workflow. The quickest response is to show the customer part of the agreement, which states the subscription of the software does not include any customization. However, many times, the modification the customer requires is a feature that will help generate more sales. Several times, the new customer and I came to an agreement where we would do the modification, but we would charge a reduced rate for the work, and the modification will be part of the next release of the software. That way the customer will still have their modification when they upgrade, and we will have that feature to help sales with future customers.
In the above example, spending the time to respect the customer leads to a positive solution for both parties. There are times when an agreement is difficult to reach, but if we treat the customer with respect and make an effort to reach a mutually beneficial solution, the customer does not feel neglected.
Christian Bible Lesson Summary
This concept of treating everyone with respect applies to personal interactions with friends and family, neighbors, and fellow church members. The easiest path when there is a disagreement is to blame the other party. It is difficult to consider the other person’s point of view when the other person is someone you do not like. However, making an effort to understand each other will lead to a better situation for both parties.