In regards to Biden's proposed "American Rescue Plan," we at Kohari & Gonzalez PLLC are keeping our powder dry. There has been a lot of discussion about it... However, nothing has happened as of yet.
Instead of supposition, I want to live in the realm of what *is*. I'll have more to say to my Gastonia small business tax clients once something is passed.
Meanwhile, tax season has here.
If you need to be added to our calendar, now is the time to do so:
https://calendly.com/saragonzalez
The deadline for Charlotte corps is March 15th, and while an extension is always an option, it would be nice to get things done sooner rather than later. Clean up your 2020 books and let us do the rest.
Now... this week, I talked to you about some of those challenges, notably when you and your team are dealing with irate clients who have experienced some sort of issue.
And I provided you with a structure for doing so, which entails listening to the consumer and making things right.
However, you may find that this is insufficient when dealing with a consumer who has entirely lost control.
(Unfortunately, I've heard from some Charlotte company owners who deal with a high volume of customers that this type of conduct has become more prevalent in recent years, which I find alarming for our culture.)
So, here are some suggestions for such situation...
How Should A Charlotte Small Business Deal With Irrational Customers?
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Lao Tzu
Last week, I wrote on how to deal with irate customers, and I outlined a four-step process:
- Pay attention to the consumer and don't interrupt.
- Reflect (empathise) by saying something like, "I understand why you're upset." I'd be irritated as well.” “I'm so sorry that happened to you,” for example.
- Ask yourself, “What can I do to make this better?”
- Decide – Unless the request is completely absurd, go ahead and do it!
But what if a consumer at your Gastonia establishment is completely absurd?
It all starts with you, the firm owner or general manager, deciding how much authority you'll offer your employees to fix a problem.
Assume your company has three tiers of employees: front line, management, and you. When the customer isn't being silly, you might give the front line employee the authority to give $100 in satisfaction (credit, etc) — and up to a $50 credit even if the request is ridiculous.
You may then give the manager the authority to provide a $300 credit if the customer is unreasonable — and a $1,000 credit if the customer isn't.
It's worth noting that ludicrous requests are still handled, just not as liberally.
Credits in excess of this amount may require your approval. You'll need to figure out where these levels are and write them down. But how everyone is trained to handle the absurd customer is just as crucial as where the levels are.
If your employees believe the client is being unreasonable or the sum is too high, they should be trained to nicely stall for time and refer the matter to you later with something like, "I'm sorry, I'll need to discuss this with my supervisor." I'm confident you'll hear back by noon tomorrow. And if we don't succeed, I'll be sure to contact you.” Then make certain you contact the client ahead of time, as promised by your colleague.
You can handle just about anything in your Gastonia business if you have a PLAN in place. Whatever the case may be.
We're here to assist you. If you have any tax or financial questions for your business, please contact me. This is what you should do:
https://calendly.com/saragonzalez
I appreciate our collaboration and your recommendations.
Warmly,
Sara Gonzalez
(704) 599-3355
Kohari & Gonzalez PLLC
Please feel free to forward this article to a business associate or client in the Charlotte area (or beyond!) who could benefit from our help. While most of these articles are about company strategy, as you may know, we specialise in tax preparation and planning for families and small businesses.
