01.16.2012

Playing True

As a business owner, I am acutely aware of what sometimes appears to be a conflict of interest between what is right and what is legal. On the path to creating profitability, there are many behaviors that are legal for a business to engage in, but they are not always what would be considered the “right thing to do.” Several examples come to mind, but the most common, and the easiest to take advantage of, is consumer ignorance. By “ignorance” I do not mean a lack of intelligence, but only that it’s impossible know everything about everything.

For example, I know very little about air conditioning, so in that field I am ignorant. I have such a shortfall of information on this topic that I can’t ask good questions. This puts me in a vulnerable position wherein I must rely on the technician to be honest and skilled enough to ask me the right questions to understand my needs. If this person only follows the law and ignores what is right, they might manipulate information so that I end up paying for products or services that I don’t need. This may increase the profitability of his business, but only in the short-term. The moment I find that he has been dishonest with me, his company loses my business and I start my search all over again. I will also complain to my friends, who could have been potential clients and added to the long-term success of that enterprise.

For business owners who practice a more ethical path, short-term sacrifices or losses may be experienced in order to ensure the proper treatment of a client. At some level this may appear to be bad for the profitability of the business, but it actually proves strategic in the long-term. If the client is truly the central focus, the business will do everything it can to ensure that the client receives what is right based on their requirements. In doing what is right, associates within the business will never add additional services or products just to pad the bill and increase profitability. In fact, they are more likely to talk a client out of a product that will not serve them well. 

This philosophy of doing what is right takes into account a longer view. It is the only way I know of to create lasting trust between the business and the client. Doing what is right is a higher order of conducting business that often transcends the law of the land. For us at Data Connect, it is how we play true to our core concepts and beliefs: To do what is best for our clients and partners, with a focus on the long-term relationships.