Money’s impact on choices

It is interesting to me how money changes the dynamics of the choices we make.

We are currently in a transaction with another Company that has turned sour. I understand that I am very biased in this discussion, but the point is not who is right or wrong, it is the frame of mind in which the parties enter the negotiations.

The president of the other company is convinced that he is right and is unwilling to discuss anything other than the fact that he and his Company were wronged. For arguments sake, let’s assume that he is correct (which he is not). Let’s look at the positive choices he could have made:

1. Before the transaction, he could have provided the customer with such good customer service that they would never even think of going to another vendor. Keeping in touch with the needs and expectations of the customer is paramount in any business transaction.

2. He could have called his team together to review what happened and learned from the transaction.

3. He could take the information he learned from number 2 above and redesign his process to assure it would not happen again.

4. If he found in his review that they did everything right, he could write a letter or have a conversation with the customer explaining the value they brought to the transaction and request another chance.

5. He could understand that business and life are not fair, learn from the transaction and go get more business.

6. He could quit looking at it as a transaction and start looking at it as a relationship that needs to be protected and cherished.

Now let’s look at the negative choices that he could make:

1. He could call the customer and whine about how he was wronged.

2. He could call a lawyer to teach the @&#*^Q(%’s a lesson they will not soon forget.

3. He can be closed minded and not learn from the process.

4. He could blame another party for his misfortune and penalize them for his perceived wrongdoing. In this circumstance, he cannot possibly be enjoyable to be around. In addition, his anger will be a cancer to all around him and eventually it will infect all levels of his organization. This negativity will become the culture of the Company.

Unfortunately for all involved, he may make all four of the negative decisions. It will be his and his Company's loss. They have the potential to lose financially, but more importantly, culturally. Positive energy can not manifest itself in a negative environment.

It is my belief that this “gentleman” would have acted differently if this transaction did not have dollar signs attached to it. He started counting his money before he earned it. By giving your customer value before, through and after the transaction, you lock them up and they become an annuity. More importantly they become your advocates and you do not have to sell. They do it for you.