Don't Run a Shitty Business
I haven't blogged in a while, but I kind of feel like this is a good time.
Im working with a client on a website and she has no experience with any of this. I'm managing the content and overseeing the web development team. This client is one of the nicest people I've ever met.
Its been a while since the development team started on her site, and I can clearly see that they're just "assing" around. The site is supposed to be custom, but most of the work is just plugins. Its going to be nice, but I could build a pyramid faster than they could finish the work.
I've pretty much gotten the team in shape, and put some accountability measures in place so that we can see some timely improvements, but the whole situation really pissed me off.
It reminded me of they type of marketer and business person that I do NOT want to be. They know that this lady probably thinks "Glade" when she sees the word plugin, and they were planning to take her to the bank.
We're here to offer something of value, and a quick buck isn't worth risking your business reputation and more importantly, you should really feel like shit when you knowingly mistreat others-even if they are thousands of miles away.
Coincidentally, after the client saw how I handled her account, she'd hired me to manage several of her other sites. I didn't even know she had owned more businesses, but apparently she like a serial entrepreneur with no web skills :)
So, being the woman that mom raised me to be has it's little rewards. No, Im not rich and I still would love to be able to flat out buy that solar panel system and tell the electric company to kiss it, but Im happy nonetheless.
And, everything that I know about marketing and web development I learned right here :)
Recent Comments
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I like your post. Good points. You should succeed nicely with that approach to helping. I am now following you.
Thanks for the follow. I'm now following you as well :)
I think that we're all here to help someone with something, and as long as we remember that, success (whatever that personally means to you) is sure to come.
I have never defined success as money, or at least not just money. I have felt rich even when there was no money in the bank and the bills were behind. Those riches were from the love of family and friends. I feel that way today. Life is definitely wonderful!
I totally agree with you :) I just said that because I know that success has different meanings for different people.
I grew up poor, and I'm still no where near where I want to be financially, but I wouldn't change a thing about my life. I really feel that I have everything I need.
I just feel blessed to be one of the people that recognize that. So many people are caught up on money that they can't see how fortunate they are.
She was fortunate to find you Tonya. Hope you do a lot of business together and are very successful with it.
Thank you! I feel like the fortunate one though. I've watched how patient and calm the client is. She's very spiritual and watching her has made me take a second look at how I handle things.
Very good post! People appreciate integrity. I've done a few sites for people and I am always upfront about how I do the sites and I never ask to be paid anything extraordinary. So far, people have been happy so it's a win/win! Congrats on landing more work from the same client!
Thank you! And, I think that just as a business owner, you feel better about yourself knowing that you're not scheming and doing something unethical every chance you get!
There must be people like them in order to remind us what we do not want to be when we grow up, lol.
It irks me to see Brighthouse Networks and Dell take my landlord to the cleaners with his computer. Sometimes he doesn't listen to me and winds up with new hard drives when he doesn't need them and lately a new motherboard at an exorbitant price! They told him he had a virus. Now how can a virus destroy a motherboard? He had not turned in the old hard drive yet and I showed him yesterday that the hard drive still works fine. The problem he brought on was that he is one of those who deletes files without knowing what they are for ... including system files! In doing, the operating system wouldn't start. The dll file that was missing was him deleting things he shouldn't!
Bless his heart.
Not to mention, these crooks take up hours and hours of his time on the telephone. In the meantime they try to sell him all kinds of other crap, like extended warranties, useless peripherals and programs.
I am glad I finally got him to get away from IE and learn how to use Chrome.
Very good posting above!
Daniel, sounds like a perfect opportunity to create a recovery CD. I'm in a similar situation with my daughter's netbook. She installed a game on it without my permission that is incompatible with her system. Needless to say, I was quoted €140 to fix it. Because it's already 4 years old we won't bother but I sure do wish I had created a recovery CD. The guy who wants to do the work says I need a new hard drive and has to reinstall the operating system and software. Yikes. We'll just wait until we can get her new laptop. Or better yet, I'll give her mine and get myself a new laptop!! :)
Thank you Daniel!
And I certainly have been taken to the bank by tech people as well. They will try to sell you anything.
When I'm shopping, I always see the sales people killing customers with crappy anti-virus software. For the price that they offer the extra protection, you could write a program yourself!!! Not to mention that your ISP probably provides this for free.
Woooo, Hoooo! What a great post to start my morning, Tonya! People know quality and a good work ethic when they see it and will pay for it. Congratulations on the additional sites.
Thank you! I agree-people really do know quality work, and it always pays to be genuine and upfront.
Hi Tonya - Nice to hear from you. Great to hear that you're sticking to what you believe in and lovely to hear that your initial contact led to more work. Onwards and upwards. Sure the solar panel system will be yours sometime.
Hi! thanks for the comment :) It's nice to see a familiar face. I'm sure those solar panels will come soon enough-onwards and upwards!!
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Proud of you, Woman of Value. Like the reminder that maybe we have been focusing on money, since you proved that by concentrating on providing service and behaving ethically, the money is coming! Good for you.
Thank you Shields!
As marketers, it's certainly about the money, but there are lines that we should never cross. Some of us do because we're either greedy, or just rotten to the core.
I always try to treat clients the way that I would want to be treated-its an age old concept that I wish everyone would practice, in business and in their personal lives!