“Treat others as you want to be treated.” Many will recognize this quote immediately as The Golden Rule. There is some debate as to who is credited for this fundamental moral statement; but most agree that it originated in the Old Testament, was also recorded by Confucius and expressed by Jesus.  My intention; however is not to discuss the religious aspects of the quote; but to instead explore how it can be applied to customer service. It seems simple to understand that when we put ourselves in the place of others; we gain perspective and understanding. This perspective and understanding will hopefully help alleviate conflict and create relationships which are mutually sound and respectful. Everyone wants respect. This is especially true when considering a business relationship.

Every business with an aggressive sales approach attempts to convince the prospective client of the need for their product or service. In doing so, they employ tactics which offer reassurance to that client in order to gain their trust. Price concessions, rebates, guarantees and warranties can all be part of this negotiation process. The client will only buy, typically, when they feel that they have reached a mutually beneficial agreement and each side has a sense of fairness from the process. In essence each side has applied The Golden Rule. The seller has considered the issues of the client and essentially treated them as they would like to be treated. It is virtually impossible to be successful in sales if you fail to gain the trust of the client. The buyer has also realized the concerns and needs of the seller and has accepted the deal knowing that he is offering fair compensation for the product or service. But what happens after the sale is done and each side leaves the negotiating table? Does The Golden Rule only apply to the success of the sale?

I will answer that question with another question: Do you want to keep your customers and sell them products and services in the future? Obviously, the answer should be YES! However, many companies excel in sales; but fail in customer service because they forget The Golden Rule. Once the money is paid and the commission granted…….the client is sometimes lost due to a lack of attention after the sale. The sale is just the beginning of the relationship and the client needs and expects consideration after the check has been signed. A good example would be a car dealer who offers a warranty plan as part of the sale and then charges the client for every service issue and fails to honor the agreement. I’m sure we have all had a taste of that situation and as a consumer we experience remorse and are not likely to buy our next vehicle from that same dealer. Repeat buying patterns are what separate successful companies from those whose success is only temporary. They retain their clients by applying The Golden Rule to every encounter with that customer. This applies to very simple issues such as attentiveness and responsiveness. The sale was achieved by making the buyer feel special and the business was lost by complacency and mediocrity. Make them feel special every time….and they will come back again and again.

Dale Carnegie applies The Golden Rule in just about every facet of his teachings and books. He stresses the importance of attitude and behavior directed toward supporting the client. Using and remembering the client’s names, being a good listener, seeing things from the other point of view and identifying with the other person’s interests are all the fundamentals of the Dale Carnegie training. It is widely recognized as the best strategy for success and it is very simple. “Treat others as you want to be treated.”

As a sales representative for Harvard Business Services, Inc., I hear time and time again how clients appreciate the attention and consideration they are offered before, during and long after the sale. We take a great deal of pride in our current clients and a very large percentage of them use our services time and time again. In fact our repeat customers are one of the largest core groups of our business. They come back again and again and we truly appreciate their patronage. We express our appreciation with every new transaction by applying The Golden Rule. When they call, we answer. When they need to discuss their concerns,we listen. When they have needs, we help. We treat them how we would like to be treated.