One of the surest ways to spoil a business relationship is to spend someone’s money without telling them. In dental school we were constantly told to “inform before you perform.” In my practice, we take this to heart and make sure that everyone knows what the treatment is going to cost before we do it.
I had a couple of experiences recently that reinforce the importance of “inform before you perform.” Not long ago I dropped my car off for routine service. The gas station called and told me I needed new tires. I asked for a call back with some estimates for several brands of new tires. I didn’t hear back so I called them. I was unpleasantly surprised to find out that they had taken it upon themselves to mount 4 new tires of their choosing for me. Since the gas station had just changed hands and I liked the new owner, I let it slide. After all, I needed the new tires.
I had another experience this week with the same gas station. Our SUV had a brake job at Midas a while back because Midas provides a lifetime warranty on brake jobs. So when the SUV needed an oil change, I asked them to check the brakes. Much to my chagrin, when I went to pick up the SUV, I had new front brakes! They had taken it upon themselves to spend hundreds of dollars of my money without asking me. And this was the second time. I left the owner a message to call me.
To his credit, he called me back and apologized profusely. (Smart.) His crew simply thought I was a busy guy who wanted to be taken care of without being hassled with details. He offered to give me a 100% refund, which I told him that I would accept as a credit toward services at his station. I also told him that details regarding my money being spent were important to me and that I would appreciate a call if my car needs work beyond what I order. All in all, it was a happy ending and I intend to keep using this gas station for service.
People don’t like having their money spent without their permission. So remember to inform before you perform to keep your business relationships happy.
