WE continue our series on the importance of trust in business and how an individual or organization builds trust.

Today concludes our focus on broken promises. We ended last week after discovering that the cash credit which was promised by the shipping agency had turned into a shipping credit that could only be applied when their service was used, I felt that they misrepresented themselves and was flabbergasted at the level of unprofessionalism. I tried reaching the manager, not to ask for the credit but to explain that services like what I experienced will destroy the company’s reputation. I left a message, my call was not returned, I called his direct line, the call was answered then subsequently hung up.

I emailed him but the email was not acknowledged.

What was once a cordially, professional relationship is no more.

Fully aware of his unprofessionalism, his polite hello has turned into a death stare. He might have thought “who is she to complain?” In my opinion, he is a liability to the company he works for. His actions showed up his inexperience in the position, reflected poorly on his professional knowledge of reputational damage and the importance of customer satisfaction.

Here are some facts to support my opinion from Customer THINK in an article 10 Need-to-Know Customer Dissatisfaction Stats:

• More than fifty percent (50%) of customers switched service providers after a poor customer service experience in a single year.

(Accenture)

• For every one customer complaint received by a company, 26 customers do not articulate their concerns. (White House Office for Consumer Affairs)

• Forty-five percent (45%) of people share negative customer experiences on social media, with 35% of people likely to post negative online reviews after a poor experience. (Dimensional Research)

• Eighty-six percent (86%) of people won’t purchase from a business which has negative online reviews.

(Dimensional Research)

• Seventy-eight percent (78%) of consumers have abandoned a transaction because of poor service. (American Express)

• Ninety-one percent (91%) of dissatisfied customers will not do business with a brand that failed to meet their expectations. (Lee Resources)

• Consumers tell twice as many people about poor experiences than positive ones.

(White House Office of Consumer Affairs)

• Eighty-five percent (85%) of people share any customer experience stories in person– which puts brands at risk of negative perceptions spreading via word-ofmouth. (CX Act) Service providers in St.

Vincent and the Grenadines have ways to go to show that they value the people who put them in business and keep them there. Another one of David Horsager’s eight pillars of trust is character: People notice those who do what is right ahead of what is easy. Leaders who have built this pillar consistently do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, whether they feel like doing it or not.

It is the work of life to do what is right rather than what is easy. Visit us at www. searchlight.vc or https:// www.facebook.com/ Searchlight1.We’ll help you get noticed.