Always Do Your Best

No Matter Who is Watching or How You Feel

We all know that everybody has off days. Most of us have to be at our jobs even on days when we are in a bad humor or don’t feel quite well. At least, we used to. Nowadays, it might be different because of the pandemic, but I just have a feeling folks are pushed just as hard as they used to be in the days pre-pandemic. I’m retired now, so I can stay in my jammies for weeks at a time. But, I remember how it was.

With that said, another factoid surfaces, and that is a disgruntled customer or client can spread their unhappy news far and wide and get a lot of people to listen. Your business is in danger at that point, and if you don’t think so, you’re really in trouble.

The point is that management ought to be aware of whatever social media is having to say about the business on a regular basis. You can’t leave that stuff to lesser-paid employees. It is just too important.

Ah, shit, you say. “Something else for me to do. I have to do all the work around here.” Well, yes, that’s why you are the boss. Just think of all those disgruntled customers who never take to social media and only talk to their neighbors, people pumping gas next to them, people waiting in line at the post office, in the doctor’s office, customers in stores (your store??), at the public library, wherever the wind takes them.

Happy customers start with happy employees who start with caring bosses and supervisors. If you are not paying better than minimum wage, you can’t expect your employees to give more than minimal care to their jobs.

If you, as a boss, even suspect somebody in management is not carrying their weight, is leaving work early on a regular basis, or garners more than their fair share of complaints from other employees, you should smell smoke. Don’t let it go on. That laggard could cost you 10 good employees and possibly 100 customers. Easy.

You need to keep your employees happy in order to have happy customers.

I have had jobs where that happened, and I have had jobs where that was not the case.

Now, I am also of the opinion that people might strive to do their best no matter how their bosses treat them, barring illegal stuff. It’s like a way to live. Just do your best.

Living that way does have good returns, even though you might not see them right away.

For instance, doing your best in a job is going to stand you higher in the front row over people who tend to call in sick on Mondays. Calling in sick when you overindulged the night before on a regular basis causes folk in management to start talking about you and your co-workers to resent you. The thing is, you do not need anybody in management to be hearing shit about you. Hearing bad things just opens the way for rumors to start flying. Also, if you have already got somebody’s attention with your bad behavior they will be expecting that from you.

The same thing happens, though at a slower rate, for folks who try to do their best. Your name does get mentioned, though, in terms of good things.

In terms of clients or customers, you want them calling in with favorable comments. And you really don’t want to see complaints on social media. Somebody needs to investigate those complaints. They could be made by the competition or disgruntled employees or unhappy customers. Those responses should also be made in a timely fashion not 6 weeks down the road.

Investigate and respond to comments whether they are good or bad.

If you are a boss, you could ask an employee to monitor and handle complaints, but, in the end, you need to follow up. Eventually, having more than one employee doing this sort of work is better. Then, they can support each other, and you can relax somewhat. Don’t let your guard completely down, or your employees will think you don’t care anymore.

Support your employees, and they will support the business.

That was my two cents.

Pauline Evanosky is a psychic channel, and no, I can’t tell what you are thinking. I am a retired office admin person, a bookkeeper at times, and a writer. Soon to be published in 2023 a series of books for young folks about Getting a Job, Keeping a Job, and Looking for Another Job. I’ve written almost 300 articles on Medium and would love it if you would subscribe to my stuff. I don’t like to get dressed anymore and have a fabulous disposition, as long as they don’t take away my pills.