Character: A must-have for sustainable success

Posted: November 11, 2015 | Categories: Management

“Success is more than doing things right…it is doing the right things” – Dr. Wayne Dyer

Whenever I hear a story that displays exceptional character, I like to share it.  Here’s one for you:

The owner of a successful car repair business got some bad news:  One of his customers was not happy.  Their had recently had repair work done at the shop, and the car wasn’t sounding right.  They brought it in, and had it checked out.  The mechanic found a blown head gasket.  They also learned that the likely reason for the damage stemmed from an earlier repair the shop did replacing radiator hoses.  They didn’t get the clamps tight, the coolant leaked out, and the engine overheated and blew the gasket.

When the owner heard about the situation, he investigated, and to him it was apparent that the damage was caused by their error.   It was a $3000 job.  He repaired the car and handed the invoice to the customer.  The charge was $3000.  He added a discount that said, “Integrity discount”, $3000.

Al believe that he did the right thing.  The customer was ecstatic, and is going around raving about what a great place they run.  Al has a customer for life, and there will likely be good referrals that come about from his courage to do the right thing.  True, Al had to take a $3000 hit, and that wasn’t fun.  For this investment he gained a lifetime customer.  How much do you believe they will spend at Al’s shop in a lifetime?  My guess is, a lot more than $3000.  Most important, Al did it because it was the right thing to do.  In this world of informed customers and social media, We need the courage to consistently display the highest character.  We will stand out from our competition, and create added value for our company.  There no right way to do something that is wrong.