No wonder, the growth of each and every business depends on the people, their attitude towards work, their etiquette and their relationship with their colleagues, bosses and vendor companies. Precisely, human relationships are the core strength that can create and destroy any business. It is never about money in a long run.
As an entrepreneur and dealing with diverse clients, including both Indian as well as International, I have realized that undoubtedly it is always comfortable to deal with the later group than former. This post is all about what I have learnt in last one year while dealing with both such parties.
It is my personal viewpoint and hope that we as Indians learn something when it comes to corporate etiquette or even before that, learn to respect humans first.
Keys for successful business:
1. Respect every individual, not for his position but for the work he does. He could be the head of some division, or could be the director of some company, a KOL, or an employee, a receptionist, that courier guy or the BD guy or even the person who serves you tea/water in your office.
2. Reply to the e-mails of the people who are looking for you. You don't need to always have business perspective in your mind. Help them to solve their queries, after all they sent you e-mail because they got to know about you from somewhere and think that you might be the right person to guide them. Isn't that a good enough reason to help them?
3. Provide unconditional leads to the people who are looking for business opportunities and if that is possible at your end. You help them today, they would surely help you tomorrow. Business is one such thing where everyone needs everyone.
4. Though you might be busy in your meetings and daily chores, but have the courtesy to acknowledge missed calls or SMSs that you received from people that time. We all are busy bees in this corporate world, but remember "You give time to anybody, and he will be yours in the most needed hours"
5. Show commitment towards meetings. Call the person only when you can meet him. If by any chance you get busy, try to inform the person (no matter whoever he/she is w.r.t position that you have) before hand. If due to some unavoidable circumstances, even if that is not possible, atleast SMS him or call him later on and regret about the situation. Getting your ego in between is not justified and neither ignoring your basic corporate etiquette makes sense.
6. Help your vendors/clients to get their payments in time. The worst that you can do is to stop the payment procedure at your end itself. It is the money that they deserve as service providers and they should get it in a stipulated time frame. Not all vendor companies understand the complex financial procedure going on in your MNC. Sometimes, they send their guy for procuring the pending payments. If not possible to meet him, have the courtesy to guide them to meet the appropriate people in the company. In return, you can definitely trust on their improved quality and cost effective inputs for yourself in the future.
7. Try to remember names of the companies and people you working with. After all human relationships is the key behind successful business. And there will be a day, when it won't be about money, but only about your name.
8. And last but not the least: don't just forget people, could be your clients, colleagues or vendors, if they shared the part of your success. Remember, you have always been helped and guided by all such people to reach where you are as of now.
I hope that we as Indians should really learn from Americans and fellow English men, who be default comply with most of the points I mentioned above.
Remember, we all are busy and we all have our own priorities, but there is an old saying and that goes beyond everything: "Where there is a will, there is a way"
As an entrepreneur and dealing with diverse clients, including both Indian as well as International, I have realized that undoubtedly it is always comfortable to deal with the later group than former. This post is all about what I have learnt in last one year while dealing with both such parties.
It is my personal viewpoint and hope that we as Indians learn something when it comes to corporate etiquette or even before that, learn to respect humans first.
Keys for successful business:
1. Respect every individual, not for his position but for the work he does. He could be the head of some division, or could be the director of some company, a KOL, or an employee, a receptionist, that courier guy or the BD guy or even the person who serves you tea/water in your office.
2. Reply to the e-mails of the people who are looking for you. You don't need to always have business perspective in your mind. Help them to solve their queries, after all they sent you e-mail because they got to know about you from somewhere and think that you might be the right person to guide them. Isn't that a good enough reason to help them?
3. Provide unconditional leads to the people who are looking for business opportunities and if that is possible at your end. You help them today, they would surely help you tomorrow. Business is one such thing where everyone needs everyone.
4. Though you might be busy in your meetings and daily chores, but have the courtesy to acknowledge missed calls or SMSs that you received from people that time. We all are busy bees in this corporate world, but remember "You give time to anybody, and he will be yours in the most needed hours"
5. Show commitment towards meetings. Call the person only when you can meet him. If by any chance you get busy, try to inform the person (no matter whoever he/she is w.r.t position that you have) before hand. If due to some unavoidable circumstances, even if that is not possible, atleast SMS him or call him later on and regret about the situation. Getting your ego in between is not justified and neither ignoring your basic corporate etiquette makes sense.
6. Help your vendors/clients to get their payments in time. The worst that you can do is to stop the payment procedure at your end itself. It is the money that they deserve as service providers and they should get it in a stipulated time frame. Not all vendor companies understand the complex financial procedure going on in your MNC. Sometimes, they send their guy for procuring the pending payments. If not possible to meet him, have the courtesy to guide them to meet the appropriate people in the company. In return, you can definitely trust on their improved quality and cost effective inputs for yourself in the future.
7. Try to remember names of the companies and people you working with. After all human relationships is the key behind successful business. And there will be a day, when it won't be about money, but only about your name.
8. And last but not the least: don't just forget people, could be your clients, colleagues or vendors, if they shared the part of your success. Remember, you have always been helped and guided by all such people to reach where you are as of now.
I hope that we as Indians should really learn from Americans and fellow English men, who be default comply with most of the points I mentioned above.
Remember, we all are busy and we all have our own priorities, but there is an old saying and that goes beyond everything: "Where there is a will, there is a way"
