Life can be tough. We all have bad days, we don’t feel well, something is not going the way we had planned, there are health issues, family strife, the possibilities are endless as to “why” we may not perform at our best. However, I am a firm believer that a truly professional person can leave it all at home, and act in a professional manner even when all you want to do is lay down on the floor and have a tantrum!

No matter what line of work you are in, white collar to blue collar to anything in between there is a way to remain calm, dignified, and unemotional in our places of work.

Do Not Be Emotional:

I have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with people that are just having a bad day for whatever reason and instead of leaving their emotions in check, they take out their frustrations on their own customers! This is a business killer. People do not forget when they are spoken to in a rude manner, when an e-mail is returned in haste and it comes across in a negative way, or when the customer is not treated with respect.

Have you had this experience?

If so, I imagine that you are not too keen on returning to that place of business and it has left a bad taste in your mouth. It can sometimes be difficult, but not impossible to leave behind our personal emotions and “put on a happy face”. Your business depends upon it. It only takes one bad experience and your life long client or customer can walk away forever. Leave your bad mood, your stress, your PMS at home and treat every single client with a smile, a good attitude and your best possible demeanor.

Use Deep Breathing Techniques:

You might be wondering how exactly to leave all those pent up emotions at home? One very effective way of dealing with them is with deep breathing techniques. These are very easy to learn to do and you can do them anywhere, anytime and no one will be the wiser. There is also progressive muscle relaxation that is another highly effective stress reduction technique.

Be Careful With E-Mail:

Online communication can be tricky. It’s impossible to read body language, tone and inference through e-mail. If you must communicate with clients via e-mail be cautious. It is important to type in complete sentences. Do not rush a reply without first thinking your answer through. Once you hit send, it cannot be taken back. Many misunderstandings and miscommunications have occurred due to using e-mail.

The Customer Is Always Right:

Somehow this adage has been lost in our society. There once was a time when the customer was always right. If a customer is unhappy with your service then you should do absolutely everything in your power to rectify the situation. Yes, this includes giving them a refund if they ask for it. If a client feels wronged or cheated or dissatisfied with what they have paid for and they ask you for a refund, give it to them!

It will be worth it in the long run to appease that customer. Your reputation will remain intact and you won’t be dragged into small claims court. With many businesses having websites and online addresses it is quite easy for an unhappy person to wreak havoc with your online reputation by leaving a trail of negative reviews on the web for the world to read. If you live by the rule “the customer is always right” you will have far fewer problems.

Whether the customer is factual right is not the issue. You’re not here to prove that they are wrong. While there are times to help customers with misinformation, if the customer does not care, you’ll want to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Basically, you are paying for reputation’s sake.

Conclusion

While it’s not always possible to be positive and upbeat during your day, it is possible to treat every person with respect and professionalism. Do not let your emotions, your lack of sleep or your stress level have a negative impact on your business and your reputation. If you keep the above stated steps in mind during your day you will likely reap the benefits of happy returning customers and a growing positive reputation.