My wife and I have had problems recently with business people not turning up when they said they would. First it was the pond guy, who said he would come on the Saturday morning, but didn’t. Then it was going to be the following Saturday, and it was only on the third Saturday that he appeared.
He had been responsible for putting in the pond and when we have problems we expect support. The trouble for him is that if we get another pond person in to help, she or he will ask why we have not stayed with our first pond guy. If we are truthful, word will get out and a reputation will be damaged, even if it is what one might call self-harm.
We have had the same issue with a “tree surgeon” who failed to turn up to inspect the damage he caused on his first visit. He was obviously a “cowboy” as we can now see, and it is a pity his bad reputation did not go before him. It will certainly go after him.
Of course doing a bad job is going to affect anyone’s reputation. People who do a good job when they do turn up still damage their reputations badly if they fail to make meetings or assignments.
Going the extra mile will always help the standing of any business person. Turning up at the right time is the essential first step towards perfect service.
