Jeff
Keller

How Reliable Are You?

Why don't more customers trust salespeople? Could it be because many salespeople fail to do everything they say? Once a promise to a customer turns into a lie -- however small, and however unintentional -- the trust is lost forever. So ask yourself: In your dealings with customers, How Reliable Are You?

Do you keep your word? Don't answer too quickly. The truth may surprise you. When I say keep your word, what I really mean is: when you say you are going to do something, do you carry through and do it? Within the time period that you promised? Let's consider the following statements:

I'll mail the check to you today.

I'll fax the proposal and price quote tomorrow.

I'll call you next week, and we'll meet for lunch.

Assume that it is Monday, and you make each of the three statements above. You've kept your promise on statement #1 if, and only if, you mail the check on Monday. If you mail the check on Tuesday or Wednesday, then you have not honored your promise. If you haven't faxed the proposal and price quote by the close of business on Tuesday, you haven't kept your word. As for statement #3, most of us would confess to violating that one now and then. We say things like, "Let's have lunch together," or "You must come over some time," when we know full well that we aren't going to follow up and make definitive plans to get together.

At this point, you might be saying to yourself, "What's the big deal? Does it really matter if I mail the check on Wednesday instead of on Monday ­­ or if I fax the proposal on Thursday rather than on Tuesday?" I think that it makes a BIG difference and here's why.

Negative Consequences of Breaking Your Word

1. Each inaccurate statement you make chips away at your credibility
Don't underestimate the importance of reliability. People love to do business with those they can count on; those who do exactly what they say they'll do. When you make statements and fail to deliver on "small" things, people tend to believe that you won't deliver on more important items as well.

2. "Close" is not enough if you want to achieve maximum results
You might think that you are doing well because your conduct comes pretty close to matching your promises. If this is the case, the message you are sending out is, "When I tell you something, you can't rely on me to do exactly what I said, but I'll come pretty close." If you take that approach, don't expect to be as successful as you might otherwise be. It's true that some people will put up with your less­than­accurate statements. But, without question, others will be turned off and will not want to deal with you.

3. What you regard as minor might be very crucial to someone else
For instance, while it might not be a "life and death" matter to you whether the proposal and price quote is faxed on Wednesday instead of Tuesday, your prospective client may view it quite differently. For instance, this person might have solicited two proposals already and yours is the final one to be considered. You said that your proposal would be in hand by Tuesday; the client has planned to make a final decision on Tuesday evening. When your proposal doesn't arrive on time, the client makes a choice without considering yours.

Meanwhile, you wasted all day Wednesday formulating a spectacular proposal, all for nothing. Remember, a prospective client won't always tell you about their plans. No matter how much research and preparation you do, you can't know everything that is going on in the other person's mind. Therefore, deviating from your promises, even slightly, can have serious consequences.

4. When you fail to deliver as promised, you cause stress and aggravation to others
Sometimes, we overlook the ripple effect of our promises. After all, people are making plans and promises based on the accuracy of our statements. If we let them down, they must let others down. For instance, let's say that one of my creditors is pressing me for payment. No problem, because you said you were FedExing me a check on Monday. I figure that I'll deposit your payment on Tuesday and I tell the creditor to stop by my office on Thursday to pick up a check. When your check isn't delivered on Tuesday, I have to explain to my creditor that I'm going to let them down.

These situations are stressful and embarrassing. When you honor your promises, you make life easier for those counting on you ­­ you are a stress reducer rather than a stress producer.

Action Steps for Improvement

The purpose of this article isn't to make you feel guilty and depressed about your failure to keep your word. The reality is that nobody keeps their promises 100% of the time. Thus, the focus is not on attaining perfection, but rather on improvement.

All of us can improve in this area and we should begin by accepting where we are right now ­­ and, at the same time, make a commitment to become more reliable. What follows are some action steps to help you make significant strides in keeping your word on a more consistent basis.

1. Treat every statement as a promise
Few people treat their statements as iron­clad promises which must be kept. Yet, this orientation will contribute substantially to your success and to your ability to gain the cooperation of others. So, from now on, when a statement comes out of your mouth, it is a promise to be carried out. From this day forward, if you don't intend to do something, don't say you'll do it in the first place!

2. Tone down your words until they are consistent with your actions
Stop promising to do something in one or two days when you know that it will take a week. This is where most people get tripped up. They say what the other person wants to hear (e.g., "your order will be ready in two days") believing that this will create a favorable impression ­­ which it does ... until they fail to honor their promise. And, the fact that you are "busy" is no reason to break your word. Take into account that you're busy before you make any commitment. Say only what you know you can live up to.

3. Keep a journal of your promises and the fulfillment of those promises
It's best to use a small memo pad or book which you can carry with you throughout the day. Create a journal with these categories (or add your own):

1 = Promise (describe the promise)

2 = Date Promised (the date or time period in which you say you will perform the promise)

3 = Date Fulfilled (the date when you actually fulfilled your promise)

Do not reserve this journal for "big" promises only. Use it for every statement you make, both in your personal and professional dealings. If you say that you will clean the garage this weekend, write it down! This way, you are training yourself to become aware of and accountable for your own words. Very important: Record the promise even if you haven't created a time deadline. The lack of a specific completion date doesn't mean that you don't have to do it!

By recording your statements, you'll be much more careful about what you say from here on. (Note: Most time planners or organizers now on the market contain special pages to help you keep track of your commitments and follow­through.)

4. If you can't meet your deadline, advise the other party before the deadline expires
Common sense, right? You would think so. Yet, this simple courtesy is frequently overlooked. After all, there will be times when, despite your best efforts ­­ or because of emergency circumstances outside of your control ­­ you won't be able to honor your promise. In these instances, contact the other party before the deadline has passed and explain the situation, re­committing to another deadline in the near future. Nine times out of ten, the other party will be very understanding and will appreciate that you took the initial deadline so seriously, and that you were professional enough to call to reschedule.

By the way, keeping silent and hoping that they won't notice is a losing strategy. Believe me ­­ they'll notice. Whether or not they say anything to you now, from this point on they'll think of you as unreliable.

______________________________

By consistently keeping your word, you will stand out from the rest of the crowd. People will respect you and want to do business with you. And, you'll get plenty of referrals. Think about it: don't you like to do business with (and associate with) individuals who are trustworthy and honest?

Most importantly, when you bring your actions in harmony with your promises, you'll gain tremendous self-respect. You'll be acting with integrity, you'll feel better, and you'll perform at higher levels.

So, are you ready to make the commitment to improve in this area? Did you say "Yes"? Do I have your word on that?

You can order Jeff Keller's book online today
To learn more about Jeff's Attitude Is Everything book, or to order your copy through the Attitude Is Everything site, click here: Attitude Is Everything.

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