What Would

     You Do?     

(Tackling the ethics question in business)

You're talking with a new client. You know she's close to buying your product or service, and if she does she's sure to refer lots of business your way. Plus there's that handsome commission waiting in the wings. If she says "yes" to your offer, you'll be able to finally afford that vacation you've been dreaming about.

Your heart is pounding; your stomach feels as if it's doing cartwheels. You know having her as a customer will do wonders for your company, not to mention your relationship with your boss.

Just as you're finishing your presentation, she asks you the question you've been dreading: "I need this (product or service) in two days, otherwise I'll have to look elsewhere. Can you accommodate that time frame? "

BAM! Your heart sinks; your palms start to sweat; your breath quickens. You know there's no way possible to accommodate her request. However, you also know that once she pays for her order it'll be out of your hands. The scheduling department will have to accommodate her time frame and make any necessary arrangements. In other words, she'll become their headache.

What do you do? Tell her the truth about the difficulty of her time frame, knowing she'll probably go elsewhere? Tell what you perceive to be a white lie and say you're not sure, hoping she'll be satisfied with your answer? Or without missing a beat do you simply smile and respond, "Of course we can accommodate that time frame. The scheduling department will be happy to help you. "

The above story may be hypothetical, but your answer is not. These days, people are increasingly being judged on their ethics, and they are being held accountable for the choices they make. Make a good choice and sleep better at night; make a bad choice and risk a negative reputation.

A good number of business people and employees are naturally ethical and have high moral standards. They wouldn't dream of telling their customers anything less than the truth, even if the truth jeopardizes their commission check. They know they will be rewarded in the long run for their ethical nature. Other people, however, need a little help. While they may have good intentions, they sometimes stumble into unethical behavior without even thinking about it. Rather than willful misbehavior, their unethical acts are more a matter of thoughtlessness.

So how can you be confident you're treating your customers or clients ethically? Let's return to our hypothetical story to discover your best ethical guidelines.

First, you must realize that simply "making a sale" won't help your business. Trust is the basic building block of any relationship. Since people don't buy from companies they don't trust, being truthful and making loyal customers outweighs making a sale any day. Our hypothetical customer may have been patient with a longer time frame and may have eventually realized her request was unreasonable, but once she learned she was blatantly lied to, she most likely would have left the company with an ill feeling. Definitely not good for business.

But what if you thought all about that "present your offer truthfully" teaching and still decided to lie to your customer just to make some quick extra money at her expense? Although money is a strong motivator, your main objective of any business presentation should be to find your customers' needs and offer a solution. When customers see that you have a genuine desire to help them, they will be naturally drawn to you. Help your customers and the money will follow.

And even though our hypothetical prospect may not have done business with you once you told her the truth about the time frame accommodations, she may have given you some great word-of-mouth advertising by telling her associates how you put her needs in front of your own pocketbook. Just because she couldn't do business with-you today doesn't mean she wouldn't do business with you in the future. In fact, she may be so impressed with your ethical standards that she seeks you out in the future when she's ready to purchase again. What do you think that would do for your company's bottom line?

In the long run, being ethical beats out deceit every time. While you may lose the quick buck, you'll certainly gain the ethical insights that lead to more sales and better values. And the clearer you are about your values, the more effective you'll be in your chosen profession. M

Frank C. Bucaro is the President of Frank C. Bucaro & Associates, Inc. His firm works with organizations that want to integrate ethical standards of excellence with solid business practices. He also presents keynote and seminar programs on the relationship of ethics and values to long term success. He is the author of the book Taking the High Road: How to Succeed Ethically When Others Bend the Rules ($12.95 US). For more information on Frank's programs or to order his book, visit www.frankbucaro.com or call 800-784-4476.