Joking apart
So, is your business funny? Mine isn’t. It isn’t funny to clients whose businesses are struggling, and people do not like paying tax, so while clients might appreciate my help in reducing it they don’t fall about laughing over their tax bill.
Some businesses are funny but that is because funny is what they do.
Within all our businesses we should be enjoying ourselves and seeing the funny side because we do not work so well if we are not happy. However unless we are in the business of entertainment we do need to be suitably serious when talking to our clients because they expect our proper attention and would rather we didn’t see them as figures of fun and objects of mirth. We have to remain professional.
A time and a place
Recently in our family we have had a rather sad time and lost a loved one. Being thoroughly modern and removed from the location the funeral would take place, we checked out funeral directors (funeral homes to you North Americans) via their websites as well as listening to recommendations. Sensibly, none of the sites were too gloomy, but one featured “amusing” incidents and photos of their employees having a good laugh, including one where a female worker was having difficulty climbing onto a horse-drawn hearse.
What was our reaction to this apparently hilarious business? We moved on. They would have been the most convenient firm for us to use, but we were put off by their website and marketing, and I think so many people would have been. We were in no mood to share the humour.
Don’t frighten the horses
In any business there will be moments of hilarity amongst colleagues. Doctors often have a “gallows humour”. That helps them deal with some of the things they have to deal with. Just the same our clients and customers expect to be treated with respect. They want to be taken seriously. They want to feel they are our most important clients when they are dealing with us. With proper attention that feeling of importance is easy to deliver and essential for customer loyalty.
Don’t you agree there are times we should be serious and try not to frighten the horses?
