Faith and Business 101: Choose Your Clients Wisely
I had a phone meeting this morning with a new client whose business is to organize other people’s lives! How great is that? However…I was a little nervous about taking this call because I had to preface the phone conversation with a warning and a disclaimer!
Here’s what happened:
I have a “mommy’s helper” that comes over for a few hours twice a week to play with my son while I work (she’s 11 and my son just loves her to death!). I try to schedule all of my important calls, writing projects, etc., during the hours that she is here and my son is happily occupied. However, my young friend’s family was ill this week so she didn’t come over this morning to entertain my son during this important phone meeting. On top of that, we are potty training so I really had to bare all to this new client that I have never talked to…all the while, praying that she would be understanding!
Thankfully, this woman had been through it all! She was positively understanding and didn’t mind one bit if I needed to hang up quickly to help my little guy jump up on his sesame street potty chair! We had a great conversation and I’m happy to say that we will start working together next week.
The reason I am telling you all of this is because I believe it is so important to choose your clients wisely! How different the outcome of this meeting could have been had I not been talking with another Christian mom!
You may not market primarily to the Christian community, but even so…I urge you to make sure that the people you work with are people of integrity!
Here’s what the Bible says:
Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20 NIV
Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared. Proverbs 22:24-25 NIV
The people you work closest with should be positive, honest, hard-working people! Does this mean you should shut out everyone else? Certainly not! You want to love everyone that God puts in your path without discrimination or judgment. But the ones that are in your “inner circle,” the people who influence you, the ones you work with on a daily basis….choose those people wisely!
Your Faith & Business Assignment for this week: Pray for Godly colleagues, clients & customers! It’s amazing who God will put in your life at exactly the right time. Even when you’re potty training! :-)
Until Next Time…
MariLee
Copyright © MariLee Parrish, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved
Thanks, MariLee! I have certainly turned down a few clients in the past – sensing that we would not be a good “fit” for one another. I’m glad you are bringing this issue to the forefront. While we all have bills to pay and need a steady income…no amount of money is worth a dreadful client experience, eh? ;-)
For my local customers, I am totally up front with them. Telling them that I will set up a beautiful display for their shopping needs, but they may have to ignore the Lego’s that may be laying on the floor or the dinosaur that is sitting on my display. I try my best to make it a great shopping experience for the customer, but I am a Mom first. I am so lucky that ALL of my customers laugh when I tell them and their response is “We’ve all been there!” Trusting in God to bring you the right people is important.
Have a great weekend.
So very true! :) Excited to hear about your new client, she sounds great!
I was intrigued by the title of your post and enjoyed and rejoiced with you on it’s outcome, however sometimes things are so complicated. I am a professional dog groomer and was stiffed by a client back in November. She has not paid the balance of her bill for service and has not answered any of my calls or letter. In my line of work and most all for that matter, we don’t know the kind of person we are dealing with. Most are honest and some are not. When someone refuses to pay their bill and avoid your calls, what are we to do? I didn’t choose a dishonest client, but I got one.
Hi Susan!
I’m sorry this happened to you! Sometimes, no matter how well we safeguard against such things (policies, only accept full payment at the time of service, etc.), bad things still happen. I have had a few clients that I wished I’d never worked with in the past myself…and they were even Christians!
Really, the only thing to do is pray that God will bring in the clients that He wants you to work with. Because even if we do have poor experiences, we can learn something from every situation. I learned valuable lessons working with the clients that I wouldn’t have chosen to work with had I known what I do now. However…my faith grew and my policies got better because of it! :-)
Thanks for posting your thoughts!
Blessings…
MariLee