Compassion and Business: Not Mutually Exclusive
I don't think compassion and business are mutually exclusive. For me the most important human quality is kindness, and I will go out of my way to support businesses that have kindness as a core value.
For example, I was in a trendy coffee shop in Vancouver (actually, it was the Blenz on the corner of Davie and Granville) when a mentally ill street person came in. This individual made quite a loud commotion about what he was going to order, how much it would cost, etc. It went on for about 10 minutes. Eventually he asked for a (free) glass of water. The staff treated him with patience, kindness and respect.
After the man left, I talked about it with a staff member. She explained that he was a person who suffered from bi-polar disorder and was currently in a manic phase. She said that he came in regularly and the staff tried to keep an eye on how he was doing so that they could get medical help for him if needed.
This is the kind of thing that makes me happy. And from a business point of view, I have never forgotten the kindness of that staff member and by extension, the Blenz coffee shop chain.
What about you? What gives you a good impression of a business?
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I get a good impression of a business when
1-(on a personal level) the people who work there smile at you and say "Hi" and the unspoken words you hear them saying are "Welcome to the store/office - glad you're here today!" It means they're glad to be there, too, and that they care about what they are doing.
2-(on a community level) I like a profitable business to give something back to the community that made them profitable - donate money, products, or services to agencies that serve the population (food drives, soup kitchens, shelters for the homeless, supplies to public schools, etc.). Also, businesses that treat their employees with respect by paying a living wage and scheduling enough hours a week so the employee doesn't need two or three part-time jobs just to make ends meet.
3-(on a global level) businesses that are eco-friendly; they recycle, make and/or use products that do not harm the environment, do not pollute the environment in the production of their product or service.
Thanks for stopping by and posting a comment, Michelle. Welcome to HomeBusinessWiz! I like how you have categorized the three levels of personal, community and global. Sometimes I find that my personal goals, desires etc seem on the surface to be in conflict with what's good on a community or global level - which gives me food for thought.
great question. i am reminded of a situation a few months ago where one day i was talking to someone who wanted my business and who was clearly unimpressed that i like to buy inexpensive toilet paper. i couldn't get off the phone quick enough (it was one of those online malls), and am certainly not going to buy anything from there.
the next day i talked to wendy gunson from mary kay who made it very clear to me that she really just wanted to stop by and give me a facial, absolutely no strings attached. she came by, we had a great chat, and wouldn't you know it, she sold me something, and i'm very happy with it.
what was the difference? among others, a sincere wish to connect with a potential new client, and - well, i just guess old-fashioned graciousness.
Isabella,
Thank you for stopping by, and for telling us of your experiences. It's amazing how much impact some good old-fashioned graciousness can have, isn't it?
barbra
great question. i am reminded of a situation a few months ago where one day i was talking to someone who wanted my business and who was clearly unimpressed that i like to buy inexpensive toilet paper. i couldn't get off the phone quick enough (it was one of those online malls).
the next day i talked to wendy gunson from mary kay who made it very clear to me that she really just wanted to stop by and give me a facial, absolutely no strings attached. she came by, we had a great chat, and wouldn't you know it, she sold me something, and i'm very happy with it.
I like to support businesses that are compassionate toward their customers. One of the biggest impressions of this for me was the day the owner of a coffee shop came out and gently offered help crossing the street. The coffee shop has changed owners, but that compassion is still there.