Get the Job Done Right the first time

(c) 2015 P. Lynne Designs

Today’s post is somewhat of a bittersweet moment.  I am not going to always post things like this, because, for one, it is not in my DNA to upset my readers.  I want the post to be a teachable moment for all, including myself.  The second reason is to inform, not put down, which leads back to the upset part. 

I have mentioned for some time how I was going to switch up my blogs.  Not so much with the format, I am pretty happy with that, even though the format could use a little updating every now and then.  I was going to change from Blogger to WordPress, mainly because I will have more control with a WordPress blog (self-hosting) then with Blogger or the other WordPress platform (yes there are two WordPress formats).  Do not get me wrong, I love Blogger, and it is great for those who are just starting a blog, but it is being controlled by Google.  Google has this tendency of being a bully, and if they feel that you are not following their rules, they can delete your blog in an instant, without so much as an email on why they feel that your wisdom is not worth their time anymore.  Besides that, Google feels like they can change the Algorithm (fancy word for code) any time they feel the wind blow.  It frustrates many a blogger who happens to have the blog on Blogger.  I will explain later in another post.

The point I am trying to make is, when I started out on this blogging journey, I thought I could just create a blog, and that was it. All I had to do was to keep it up, and for the most part I did, but again I was getting restless with the format and Blogger, and I was hearing horror stories about blogs and whole account being deleted by Google, until I had to do something, before I would not have a blog.  So I started creating the format with Host Gator, but I was not getting anywhere because I did not know how to code.  I still do not know how to code very well with HTML, and Joomla is just a foreign language to me, so I started inquiring for some help.  

I am not going to mention any names on here, because they could be reading, and I do not want their rep to be totally ruined, but there is something called integrity and doing the job right the first time.  The first person I asked was actually the results of a contest I won locally.  The person emailed me to congratulate on winning her giveaway, and that she will create for me a custom website.  A $200 package that she was giving away.  I told her what I needed, and she said that she would get back to me.  She never did.  A few months later, I had her as a Facebook friend, and I explain in my status that I was having an issue that needed solving in regards to the website I was creating, and she chimed in that she could help.  I explained that it had to be for free, and she actually explained that she owed me for the contest, so I agreed.   I took to email and explained the situation, and once again she said that she would get back to me, and she never did.  I was devastated and moved on.

Next, this came at the beginning of this year, and with the same blog, which is my Simply Organized Crafts blog, and I donated $10 for an international charity that the blog creator was contributing to.  I found this out by the emails I was already getting from her.  In turn, she was supposed to create this blog for me through Web Hosting Hub.   I gave her the information, and I was not sure of my password on my Google account to access Blogger.  She needed it to transfer files onto the new site.   It is now September, and I have not heard from her since my accident.  I went on Web hosting hub and I cannot get into the account.

My point in all of this, and this is my takeaway for the day is:

·         If you are in any kind of business, make it a point to spell out from the very beginning what your products and services are.

·         If you are in service for someone else, make sure that you do the best job you can possible for that customer or even that friend.

·         Follow through and follow up with everything. 

·         If you cannot do it, tell them you cannot, explain why.  You do not have to make up the why.  Tell the truth.

·         Know your resources.  Is there a business person who owes you a favor or has a service that you do not offer?  Point your client in that direction.  That client may actually come back to you for a service that you DO offer.

·         Finally, if you make a mistake, own up to it.  Correct it by making it right.  Offer to fix it, or if you cannot, offer some sort of compensation (example; a discount, an extra product, refund).

I am sure that to these two people I talked about in this post, what they had to offer me was a drop in the bucket to them, but to me, it was a delay at the start of or continuation of my business.  I could have given them a note of thanks for helping me with my situations, and without them, my business would not have gotten started the way that it should.  Now, if they ever ask me to review their services, I may not give them a fair feedback.  So if you are looking for some sort of feedback on your products and services, do all you can to win over that customer or of it is personal, keep a friend.