Don’t let your customers fire you

My family made some traditional dresses a few weeks ago. We hired a designer to make the dresses with our choice of fabrics. As you would imagine, we took measurements for each piece of the dresses. We cross-checked to be sure they were accurate. We then sent them over to the designer alongside the specific designs we wanted. The project was completed after a few weeks. However, I was grossly disappointed. My pants were not the right size, and the top had a very tight neck opening. We later found that the dresses did not conform to the measurements we sent. The designer, for whatever reason, made dresses that didn’t meet requirements. We will never patronize that tailor again. Is that not a conclusion you too would have made?

Well, as it is with making dresses, so it is with each of our businesses, careers or vocations. Each of us is required to work to certain specifications. The requirements may be set by your customer, supervisor, employer, student, or the public. Whatever you produce in your job is expected to meet certain requirements. Your ability to meet the requirements becomes the basis of your performance. Those who fail to meet the requirements are said to perform below expectations. Those who go above and beyond to meet the requirements are said to perform above expectations. It turns out that each of us can determine where we want to belong – those who perform below expectations or those who go above expectations. The choice is for each person to make.
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Meanwhile, just like I fired the dress designer, remember that those you serve have the choice whether to keep patronizing you or not. The reason many are unable to keep their customers or hold a job is because of lack of diligence. Those that you serve do not want a sloppy job. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. Don’t let your customers fire you. It should be your goal and my goal to add a touch of excellence to our work. Where is your excellence? 

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Actions for the week

1. Carry out a self-evaluation. Do you think you are meeting expectations in your daily work or career? What would those you serve say about your work?
2. Determine to add excellence to everything you do. Strive to fulfil all requirements in your daily work. Decide not to be sloppy.
3. Share this message with those in your network.

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​A quote to remember
“What we think, or what we know, or what we believe, is in the end, of little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do.” – John Ruskin

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Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent
​Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books