The Greatest Business Tool – Manners

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OK, so this is my first post for Blokes on the Blog, and I should start with something that really sums me up, something that people that already know me would say “Yep, that’s Kip”, something that I constantly rant about.

Business Tools – But Not as You Know ‘em

We business owners are always looking at ways to improve, a new service, better support, industry changes etc, but the one tool that we all have at our disposal, is manners. I will walk out of a shop (after letting them know my thoughts) and never enter it again if I do not hear a please and thank you. There are so many phrases that sum them up, “Manners Maketh Man”, “Manners are Free”, “They Cost nothing” and so on. But they are priceless . . .

Image via Wikipedia

A Mother’s (or Father’s) Mantra

The first thing that ever comes to mind when somebody forgets their manners, is my mothers voice, (normally followed by a clap around the ear memory!). Now I am a lot of things, narcissistic, arrogant to name a couple, but one thing that will always remain in stone is my manners. Shopping for my step daughters 6th form uniform last year, we were in Zara (in Leicester), looking for some black cardigans, she found them, puppy dogged eyed me until I said OK and marched me off to the counter, now Zara is a decent shop, and I am sure these cardi’s were about £30-40 each, yet the staff were nothing short of cheap, rude, ignorant and above all else, stupid. I stood there with a girl that has impeccable manners (if a little spoilt, my fault there), and has been raised to use them as if they were full stops, everything ends in manners.

The expected Good afternoon, would you like a bag, is there anything else, would you care to try them on, how are you paying, that will be £60 please etc were nowhere to be seen, as the two girls on the counter were far too busy talking about an upcoming holiday (Ayia napa or Tenerife or something like that), and carried on even whilst serving us, didn’t even greet us! Oh tell a lie, I am sure she looked at me when she said, “That will be £60″.

Suffice to say, I have never brought her anything again from Zara, and never will I, now this is a huge chain, and surely I am not the only person that demands a bit of decency when shopping. What increase to their revenue would a training course or better management provide? I go to restaurants that have so so food, but they know me by name, my drink, and in one, the owner always comes and pinches a glass of Faustino when I order one, I have eaten here for 15 years, and I will continue to do so until either they close, or change hands. I am there a couple of times a month, spending about £80-100 a pop, £160-200 a month for years because they are polite, kind and friendly.

This is a lot for a small business (about £2k a year, minimum), and we can all increase our income or turnover from making sure we are the same, polite, courteous and friendly.

And don’t even start me on the looting and rioting! It’s cliche, I know, but I blame the parents!

Well that is me at my core, next time I will not be moaning about manners, as I could do this everyday, I just think if you are here to learn about business, improve your business, this is where you start!

Kip's natural habitat is at the mac messing around with websites and graphics . . .

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