The Top Disaster to Business Credibility

Nothing undermines a relationship faster than broken promises. It is a mark of a weakness in character for a person or a business to find convenience in making empty assurances to earn vain gratitude rather than make genuine efforts to help the situation. It is betrayal incarnate. Broken promises are the top disaster to business credibility. Must I mention that they are VERY common in most business interactions?

Promises, in most cases, are made to demonstrate a high level of courtesy and care to a customer. However, the real thing that a promise increases is the degree of the customer’s expectation. The more the promises made, the higher the anticipation created.

Of course you may well say that most promises are broken due to factors beyond your control. But I have a question for you; do you think that your customers think the same way – as you do? Do you think in their dissatisfaction and frustration they are thinking about your good reasons why you under delivered? May be not.

Promises increase the weight of responsibility upon the one who makes them.

Whatever business you are running and whatever role you play in your business development, tension arises when expectations are not met in the eyes of the customers. This subtracts value from you in your customers’ eyes; slows the speed of your business development and puts a dent in your business image.

Indeed in most cases, it is after cases of broken promises that you will receive customer feedback like, “They are good people but they are not reliable.”, “So and so can ably do that but don’t place much hope in them.” Once customers develop a belief that they cannot rely on you, you have lost their trust.

It is always far better to “under promise and over deliver”. This will pay off greatly.

Promises serve as a score card to rate a business’ credibility or reliability. If you promise, “Your new furniture will be delivered this Thursday”, make sure it is delivered on Thursday. Otherwise, don’t say it. The same rule applies to client appointments, deadlines and other dealings. There are many ways in which business promises can be broken but that will be a topic for another day.

Think before you give any promise – because nothing annoys or creates irate customers for your business more than a broken promise. Whatever the good intentions, don’t pledge from the excitement of the moment and forget the position that your promise places you and your business image in.

The greatest of people and businesses are measured by how far they go in delivering their promise – however big or small. They can be measured by their promise; they can be taken at their word.

Their word still carries the sacred devotion only reserved for legal commitments. To them, heaven means honoring their agreement. Do not guarantee what you cannot deliver.