When I originally came up with the idea for this blog post, I was thinking in terms of business success, as a result of three lackluster experiences I recently had with customer service at three different businesses. Then when I sat down to write about it, I soon realized that goodwill is vital to all areas of life.
Goodwill is similar to integrity in that it takes time to develop, but can be lost in an instant. As my cousin says, “goodwill is a by-product of doing the right thing.” Webster’s Dictionary defines goodwill as “a kind feeling of approval and support: benevolent concern or concern.”
This definition makes it clear that whether with your business partners, teammates, coaches or bosses, or in your interpersonal relationships, without goodwill it is difficult to go beyond the superficial level with any of them.
In today’s ultra-competitive world, anything that gives you an edge over the competition makes your success more likely. As successful businessman Marshall Field liked to say, “Goodwill is the only asset that competition cannot underestimate or destroy.”
Each of the three companies where I experienced poor customer service developed varying degrees of goodwill, mostly negative, on my part. The one with the most goodwill finally offered me an acceptable solution and I am still doing business with them (albeit more cautiously now).
One of the other two offered unhelpful suggestions, compounding my initial frustration. The latter had a website that repeatedly did not submit my complaints and did not respond to those that did. Needless to say, it would have taken a lot of good will to overcome these slights and I decided to close both accounts.
One of the fastest ways to earn goodwill is to exceed expectations. Here is a recent example of a business that generated large amounts of goodwill from me. I asked for a supplement and a few weeks after receiving my order I received another package of them with a new bottle of what I had previously ordered and the following attached note:
“I want to take a moment to thank you for your recent purchase. As a token of our appreciation, we are shipping your next bottle free of charge. You will not be charged for this bottle and you are not enrolled in an autoship program of any kind. We just wanted to say hello to you. and thank you “
-Greg, founder of Weyland Brain Nutrition
Not only did they send me my next bottle for free, but they also attached a bottle of another product for me to try. I have since recommended them to several of my clients and am now a devoted customer.
The same phenomenon occurs in our interpersonal relationships. When you go the extra mile for a coworker, boss, friend, lover, coach, or teammate, you engender goodwill and strengthen your bond with them. This in turn will lead to greater trust and loyalty, thus opening the door to greater relationship possibilities.
Most people want to stand out from the crowd and are frustrated when they don’t. I like to tell my clients that if they don’t like being stuck in the crowd, go the extra mile; It is never crowded there. It’s a simple recipe for success that is often neglected by the masses, and one that will go a long way in generating a lot of goodwill from others as well.
You can follow Sam on Twitter @SuperTaoInc