We all know what it’s like to want to stick it to a competitor, especially if we think that they are threatening our strategy, whether in a business or personal sense. What we have to remember is to keep it professional. As the saying goes “Kill them with kindness.” Yeah, they may have done something to affect your strategy but trying to one-up them with childish games is not the way to win. Being the best in your field is how you are going to top them every time. Whether your competitor is another co-worker or someone from a completely different company, top them with your skill not your ability to be underhand.
For example, say your competition stole one of your top clients, you’re furious, you want nothing better than to go deliver that person a good tongue lashing followed by a hearty crack across the face. Do that and you’ll probably be out of more than just a client. Try first by looking back over your strategy with that client, maybe your competition recognized that you were not providing them with all the perks they could have been receiving and so took you for an easy target. In that case, wake up and smell the coffee, of course your client is going to want the best deal possible. So take it as a lesson learned to constantly be on top of your game.
Obviously, that’s not always going to be the case. People are jerks and are going to try to steal your business, what you have to make sure of is that you are ready for an obstacle at every turn. Make sure you are on top of the best offers you can make your consumers. Know exactly what your client is looking for and the ins and outs of why they want exactly that. Lastly, take it a step further and make it personal. Your consumers want to feel important and unique, take an interest in them and what they like to do, it’s harder for you to loose a client who feels that he or she has a connection with you that is more than just a cut and dry, easily severed, you do your job and I’ll do my job type of relationship. Show them their value to you and your investment in them.
Lastly, admit when you’ve made a mistake. Maybe you’re the one who played it a little sneaky and did something that wasn’t quite so respectable. Tisk tisk. Be an adult about it. Playing the innocence card normally just makes you look like more of a fool than just coming out and saying, “I did this, I made a mistake, I apologize.” As we’ve seen in Governor Chris Christie’s case, when everyone who surrounds you is caught red handed but you are magically clean…. Well that sauce just doesn’t smell right.
Now we’re not oblivious here at SSG, and we know that the working world can be a cutthroat place to be and sometimes you have to be harsh to get by. Just do it respectably, and remember to keep it clean or come clean.
“You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.”
Gnozzo Knows 