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Musical messages

I’ve always been a big fan of Jim Brickman, singer, songwriter, pianist and composer. A few years ago, he was appearing at a local music and bookstore for a compact disc (CD) signing and a special in-store performance.

That Saturday afternoon, I was one of many Brickman fans who was entertained by his musical talent and witty between-song banter.

When Brickman sought questions, I asked, “What do you want an audience or concert-goer to leave with?”

He replied, “an emotional, true connection, an honest and meaningful experience, an adventure, a new place to visit, a unique moment in their life — the opportunity to hear a favorite song... that’s like being with an old friend, as well as hear a new song that creates a new energy — the chance to leave behind any worries or concerns.”

Hmmm. Interesting. Also, great goals for any customer experience!

Disappointing delay

On Jan. 11, I received an e-mail from a client asking, “at year-end, we made a one-time offer to a single client of a 2 percent discount, if they paid in full (and we received the payment) by Dec. 27. We just received the check today. They took the discount, and obviously did not meet our terms. Now what?”

In response to your question, I need to ask some questions myself. Was it a discount or a courtesy savings? (Remember, K-Mart or “big box” stores offer discounts!) It was 2 percent of what? (What was the real savings?) What’s the relationship like with this client? What have they billed before? Prospective billings might be? Do you think it was an innocent mistake? Was it your client’s delay or for example, their accounting folks’? How were the terms/requests communicated? Is the 2 percent worth going after? Maybe. Or, you may even send a psychic debt bill.

There’s no real answer yet, since it’s influenced by the preceding, plus dialogue between you and your client. Thankfully, there are lots of possibilities.

The key, work together, to find a fair solution.

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Jeff Blackman is a speaker, author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer who lives part-time on Marco Island. His clients call him a “business-growth specialist.” Send an e-mail to jeff@jeffblackman.com or go to www.jeffblackman.com to subscribe to his free e-letter.