Silence is acceptance!
| Category: Home Based Business - Marketing | Date: 2003-06-22 |
Im sure youve heard the statement, "Silence is acceptance." I think they use it on the anti-drug commercials. And, Im pretty sure they stole it from me. But, thats okay. At least I know I could be sitting on Madison Avenue instead of in front of this lousy computer.
Ever think about that statement? Ever think about how many things it could apply to in our lives? Ever really think about the number of things we accept by our silence simply because we dont want to make waves? Hey! Whats a little wave?
Lets look at it another way. Ever think about the really mammoth size waves we create by our silence? Im talking tidal waves here!
Someone may not want to make waves over the suspicion that a kid is using drugs. What kind of a wave do they have when the kid ODs? Tidal? You bet! Thats what silence will get us.
A tidal wave is exactly what is now sweeping the Internet. A wave of unprofessional businesses who are drowning the rest of us in the murky water of their race to get-rich-quick. A wave of online companies with no concern for the customer other than how to get their money in the quickest way possible.
It isnt just the new online business owner - who may still be an inexperienced amateur. Its even the giant corporations. In the past, they handled their business professionally. They bent over backward to made customer service a top priority. I guess when you can market to the whole world, you dont need to bother to take care of the individual customer, eh?
How did this become a tidal wave? How did it get out of hand? You guessed it! Weve gone along with it - especially if we were new to the Internet - because we didnt want to make waves! Weve accepted it by our silence.
Every business owner on the Internet is also a customer on the Internet. If youre struggling to run a professional company, I know darn well that you keep running into service - or product - providers who dont appreciate your business. They often act like they dont even need the customer in order to their keep their company afloat.
Fair enough. If thats what they think - lets tell other potential customers about it. These companies will no doubt thank us when they NEVER have to think about another customer!
Its time to stop staying silent. In fact, its past time! Lets spread the word. Maybe a little pressure will push back that tidal wave thats threatening to drown us all. Maybe a little pressure will encourage some of these people to start running their companies in a more professional manner.
We have several ways to do that ...
First, we need to pay attention. Never mind what their PR says - never mind what their affiliates say - are you getting what youre paying for? And, are you being treated like a VALUED customer, as you should be?
If not, we can begin - by stopping. STOP accepting unacceptable treatment from online companies. STOP doing business with those who promise one thing and deliver something less. STOP doing business with those who have no regard for considerate customer service.
And finally, we can start. START realizing that silence truly is acceptance! And, START telling everyone you know why you stopped doing business with these companies.
Heres where they think they have us. They think were AFRAID to do anything other than stay silent. Me? I knew years ago that silence is acceptance. Its time we made some noise!
jl scott, ph.d., Author
Copyright © 1999, All Rights Reserved
A copy of this article is available at:
silence@i-Cop.org
This article may be reprinted with permission by including the following resource box:
About the author
Dr. JL Scott is the Director of the International Council of Online Professionals (iCop) - and also the publisher of MONDAY MEMO! - the ezine dedicated to upgrading Professionalism on the Web. For your FREE subscription: Monday-Memo-on@MondayMemo.org
:To contact see details below.
jlscott@i-Cop.org
http://www.i-cop.org/
Ever think about that statement? Ever think about how many things it could apply to in our lives? Ever really think about the number of things we accept by our silence simply because we dont want to make waves? Hey! Whats a little wave?
Lets look at it another way. Ever think about the really mammoth size waves we create by our silence? Im talking tidal waves here!
Someone may not want to make waves over the suspicion that a kid is using drugs. What kind of a wave do they have when the kid ODs? Tidal? You bet! Thats what silence will get us.
A tidal wave is exactly what is now sweeping the Internet. A wave of unprofessional businesses who are drowning the rest of us in the murky water of their race to get-rich-quick. A wave of online companies with no concern for the customer other than how to get their money in the quickest way possible.
It isnt just the new online business owner - who may still be an inexperienced amateur. Its even the giant corporations. In the past, they handled their business professionally. They bent over backward to made customer service a top priority. I guess when you can market to the whole world, you dont need to bother to take care of the individual customer, eh?
How did this become a tidal wave? How did it get out of hand? You guessed it! Weve gone along with it - especially if we were new to the Internet - because we didnt want to make waves! Weve accepted it by our silence.
Every business owner on the Internet is also a customer on the Internet. If youre struggling to run a professional company, I know darn well that you keep running into service - or product - providers who dont appreciate your business. They often act like they dont even need the customer in order to their keep their company afloat.
Fair enough. If thats what they think - lets tell other potential customers about it. These companies will no doubt thank us when they NEVER have to think about another customer!
Its time to stop staying silent. In fact, its past time! Lets spread the word. Maybe a little pressure will push back that tidal wave thats threatening to drown us all. Maybe a little pressure will encourage some of these people to start running their companies in a more professional manner.
We have several ways to do that ...
First, we need to pay attention. Never mind what their PR says - never mind what their affiliates say - are you getting what youre paying for? And, are you being treated like a VALUED customer, as you should be?
If not, we can begin - by stopping. STOP accepting unacceptable treatment from online companies. STOP doing business with those who promise one thing and deliver something less. STOP doing business with those who have no regard for considerate customer service.
And finally, we can start. START realizing that silence truly is acceptance! And, START telling everyone you know why you stopped doing business with these companies.
Heres where they think they have us. They think were AFRAID to do anything other than stay silent. Me? I knew years ago that silence is acceptance. Its time we made some noise!
jl scott, ph.d., Author
Copyright © 1999, All Rights Reserved
A copy of this article is available at:
silence@i-Cop.org
This article may be reprinted with permission by including the following resource box:
About the author
Dr. JL Scott is the Director of the International Council of Online Professionals (iCop) - and also the publisher of MONDAY MEMO! - the ezine dedicated to upgrading Professionalism on the Web. For your FREE subscription: Monday-Memo-on@MondayMemo.org
:To contact see details below.
jlscott@i-Cop.org
http://www.i-cop.org/
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