Courtesy costs nothing but wins everybody.
In business, courtesy is a must. Courteous letters and telephone conversations built confidence in your business, expand your client base and retain current customers. They also win respect and mutual understanding. Personal discourtesy is detrimental but a discourteous letter is more damaging as a written word is permanent. Courtesy can be shown in a variety of ways in the general tone of the letters, addressing a person by his/her proper title, making prompt reply, complying with his/her request etc. Beginning a telephone conversation with ‘Can I speak to Mrs X., please?’ rather than using her first name, phrases like ‘we appreciate’ as well as ‘we regret’ or ‘I am sorry’ if things do not go according to plan…. and a smattering of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, induce a positive response. Everyone gains where courtesy reigns.
No amount of money and advertisement can promote goodwill as courtesy does. Courtesy is a goodwill builder and lies in using such words and phrases as detailed above, plus adopting a mental attitude which can win the favour of the recipient. A courteous message strengthens business relationships.
So, how about trying to be a little kinder today, whether in a personal or business capacity? Acts of kindness makes us feel good, valuable and alive. Think about the last time you went out of your way to be kind to someone…. I bet it made your day too! Opportunities exist to extend kindness to others and many people do as part of their good nature, but if we all made a more conscious effort to be even kinder to others…….. we would make a few steps towards making a difference which has a lasting, ripple effect that we may never see ….. but would make the world a happier place.
Lose the negativity and be positive! Forget about problems and issues of yesterday – look to the future and make someone’s day better…..
