It is not always possible for us to see ourselves the way others see us—even the most self-aware among us. As a home business owner, however, there are some key areas where we may want to focus and make sure that we are ‘sending off’ the impression that we want others to get. One important area is the area of dependability. We want our customers and clients to know they can depend on us to follow through and follow up and be there when we need us. How dependable are you actually being?
We all have had those friends or worked with people who we quickly learned that we just couldn’t count on them in the clutch. They may have been perfectly nice people; creative, generous, or pleasant—but they tended to be a bit on the flaky side. It can be quite easy to let ourselves fall into that category as home business owners since it may not seem like we have rigid hours or a boss or anyone to MAKE us do things. What feels like flexibility to us can come across as undependable to our customers and clients.
If you are a little nervous about your dependability quotient, ask yourself the following questions: How often do you not return phone calls or let several days lapse before calling or e-mailing back? Do you ever call and cancel an appointment or move it to a different time? How often? When was the last time you stood someone up and did not make a meeting, call or send a message? Do you ever miss deadlines? Have you ever been late with a delivery or broken a promise to a customer or client? When your customers call during business hours are you often away from your phone, desk, or work area? How often are you ‘running late’?
Asking yourself these questions and taking a good look at whether you are really being dependable or not—and looking for ways to make improvements—can help you do a better job at promoting your home business and serving your clients and/or customers.