Courtesy as a Business Strategy
Can courtesy serve us well as a business strategy?
Can it be a competitive advantage?
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
I have observed how the lack of courtesy can poison a moment of personal interaction and cause a downward spiral in future cooperation.
Similarly, though less often, I have observed how courtesy can lift personal contact to a higher level of interaction, leading to more agreeable and productive exchanges. This, too, can be contagious.
PUT COURTESY TO THE TEST
I test the power of courtesy with every new individual I interact with. As I approach the person, I look them in the eye, maintain a neutral expression, then break into a sincere smile and attempt to empathize with them: "Wow, you have a long line of grumpy people to deal with. Don't worry, I'm easy." Or simply, "Good morning. How are you doing?"
Then I wait for their reaction. What I most often experience is a brief moment of disorientation-the person is taken out of the typical, callous situation by my expression and remark. They are not certain where to go with it. Then, they noticeably relax and enter into a new frame of mind that is less removed, less defensive.
Another example revolves around opening doors. When I find myself ahead of someone who is obviously going toward the same entrance, I maintain my pace and appear to be ready to open it for myself. At the last moment I open the door, step aside, and gesture for the person to go through first. This is especially unexpected when it means that I will allow someone to get ahead of me in line.
The reaction is one of surprise, a quick mental reassessment of the situation, then grateful acceptance of the courtesy.
The business equivalent is to have someone initiate the business interaction with a kind word and smile, all of which open doors to a better experience.
COURTESY: A BETTER OPTION
It is not easy to maintain this approach and I find myself accepting, as the norm for business interaction, disengaged workers, dispassionate about what they do, and oblivious to any personal contact. Fortunately, there are enough instances of the "hello, smile, thank you, and you first" behavior to remind me that courtesy is always available as a better option.
So, yes, courtesy can be a powerful business strategy. It costs nothing and enriches all.
ACTION
There are 3 keys objectives for every healthy business to consider: they involve people, money, and image. People means more that the right person in the right job. If we include courtesy as a strategy, we can greatly add to our competitive advantage by creating a healthier business environment in which to flourish.
Mission: To help small and mid-size businesses capture the power of big-picture marketing.