What defines us
Suppose you go to a restaurant. You order food not only for yourself but for your companions as well.
You finish the food. Everyone in your company did. But you refuse to pay for the bill and you say the reason is because you “did not like the food.” So, here are the questions. 1. Is that an acceptable reason for not paying the bill?
2. Is that a legitimate reason for not paying the bill? 3. Is that a legal reason for not paying the bill? 4. Is this an ethical issue? 5. Is the action moral or not? I get on the case of bad customer services all the time and present principles on how they can extend better service, but truth is that there are many abuses from bad customers as well.
Last year, I traveled a far distance to do a whole day training put up by an organizer. I have worked with them before. I liked their service. I see the potential for their company growing bigger. Most importantly, I see the heart behind their business. They have a burden to see their city grow and progress.
Their way of doing this is to bring in speakers and trainers from
Manila to conduct seminars and workshops, invite community leaders, government officials, academic personalities and business people to be exposed to new ideas and information and be the catalysts for change in that city.
A week before the seminar, the organizers politely informed me that their projected number is not being met but they are hoping that it will improve as the date comes closer.
The day of the seminar came. I had breakfast with the organizers and they apologetically told me that the number was not reached.
The situation was not bad but the expectations were reached, probably because it was too grand.
I looked at the organizer straight in the eye and asked a serious question: “Will you be able to recover your investment?” The organizer looked at me and said, “Yes naman. But it’s just that we will not meet the projected profit we wanted. Nevertheless, we do not feel bad because what will happen today will benefit those who have attended.”
I sensed that the conversation will not end there as she struggled a little bit, so I preempted her and asked another question. “Are you intending to ask me for a discount?” She gave a nervous smile and said, “Yes sir, that actually was my intention.” I asked, “How much a discount are you asking for?” She replied, “Sir please do not be upset, I was hoping that you would give me 35 percent discount off your professional fees so we can at least earn a little more?”
I looked at her steadily and replied, “Sorry but I refuse.” She looked back at me with immediate sadness in her eyes. I then followed up my statement by saying, “Because I am giving you a 70 percent discount. I have already paid for the hotel rooms, and the rest will comfortably cover up my gas and tollgate expenses. I also want to contribute in your noble cause.”
The organizer could not believe it. She brought me two boxes of cassava cake! She was happy and I was fulfilled. I did my whole day training better because of the experience although I do not have any second thoughts of going back to do business with her anymore.
My daughter is a fashion designer currently creating a name for herself doing wedding and cocktail gowns for famous business people and movie personalities. She has been blessed with a growing clientele and they are very nice and wonderful people…. With the exception of one….
The same day I was doing the training for this organizer was the same day that her client, the sister of the bride, went to her shop and refused to pay the balance of the bill both for the bride and the entire entourage even after they have already worn them for the wedding.
She reasoned that the gowns made were not to her liking and was demanding to be given a discount. She also gave a veiled threat that since she is a start up designer she may not want to have them do a bad review and ruin her reputation. This experience shocked her but she took it all in professionally.
My daughter, without many words and fanfare controlled herself and said, “If that is how you feel, just return me all the gowns. I will consider that all this never happened.” Not a single cent of discount was offered. There was no threat, shouting or screaming. She has been trained early in life never to compromise honor and dignity for money and she applied it very well. So here are the questions I want to ask: 1. Is that an acceptable reason for not paying the bill? 2. Is that a legitimate reason for not paying the bill? 3. Is that a legal reason for not paying the bill? 4. Is this an ethical issue? 5. Is the action moral or not? And the biggest question is this. Whose reputation was ruined in this instance? There are those who use money and there are those who are used by money.
Money is always the acid test of character and it carries the power to cheapen people who put value on it more than ethics and principles.
We need to be careful how we use it. For after all, our credibility, principles, values and ethics are what define us, not money.
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