Saying No & Why You Shouldn’t Always Say Yes (to Customers)
We have all said yes, some too many times in many different aspects of our lives, but the one lesson we have learned is why you should not always say yes to customers. Sometimes saying no to customers is ultimately better for everyone.
Let’s explain…
Lesson Learned: Sometimes Saying No Enables You to Provide Your Best Services
Think about what services you sell versus what services customers wish that you sold. Saying no to customers’ requests or suggestions that you cannot meet means that you are providing the best services that you can currently provide. Plus, you are now aware of what you cannot currently do, which may, in turn, inspire you to learn how you can make that request or suggestion a part of your services.
Know your boundaries.
To provide your best services, you still have to know your boundaries, regardless of customers’ requests or suggestions. Sometimes a request just cannot be met, and for a multitude of viable reasons. If you’re a new business, a good rule of thumb to follow is that if customers request something outside of your advertised services, you can (and should) politely decline. Your time is invaluable, and it needs to be spent on perfecting the services that you do provide, rather than wasting time, energy, and other resources on something that you may not be specialized in. If you say yes, other customers, as well as your delivered service, may suffer.
Sure, if you know, if you are sure that you have the time to meet a request that is outside of the services you provide, then, by all means, go ahead and do it. Here’s a little fun exercise you can do to determine if it’s worthwhile: Rate the request on the budget, type of request, and overall vibe.
- Is there a realistic budget on the horizon? If not, pass.
- Does this request make you excited? Does it align with your core values? If not, pass.
- Do you feel a connection with the customer? Do they respect you? If not, pass.
We know sometimes it’s not that simple, but discussing these questions when determining whether to move forward or not can be eye-opening.
Otherwise, we’d recommend setting some boundaries and to just adhere to those.
“So, how do I politely and effectively say no?”
Politely saying no is easy, once you know what you can, can’t, should, and shouldn’t do, and you’ve effectively set your boundaries. Here are a few polite and effective ways to say no, that will also benefit the customer.
- “While I can’t provide that service for you, I can provide this service for you.”
- “Due to [insert important reason, such as security], we cannot provide this service to you.”
- “We’re working on offering this service in the near future.”
- “I understand…”
The point is, offer a solution and understanding, rather than just saying no, or giving in to saying yes.
For other insightful advice and resources on how you can improve your business in a variety of ways, visit our business resource hub.