Business in Blue Jeans with Susan Baroncini-Moe
About the Author
Susan Barocini-Moe
Entrepreneur Susan Baroncini-Moe publishes the fabulous weekly "No Suits Allowed!" e-zine and runs several successful businesses from home and abroad, wearing her blue jeans. If you're ready to turn your passions into a comfortable business you love with a serious passive income, get your FREE tips at www.BusinessIn
BlueJeans.com
How to Fight Back When You're The Little Guy
by Susan Baroncini-Moe
In a time when many people are clinging to every last dollar, you need to know how to stand up for yourself. It's not just the little guys who are struggling. The big companies are struggling, too, and they'll fight to keep your money, even when they've done something wrong and caused you to lose money. Something like this happened to me recently, and I had to stand up for myself and fight back. Today, I'm going to share with you how I fought back and won.
Make sure you're really in the right. Go back and check your facts. Make sure you really are in the right. It won't do you any good (nor is it the right thing to do) to accost your bank demanding they refund your NSF fees, if you really were at fault for not making sure there was enough money in your account. However, if a company you're doing business with does something that either causes you to lose money or keeps you from making money, then you can and should ask them to cover your losses. Before you fight any battle, a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if your claims are reasonable, fair, and honest. Document, document, document. Make sure you document when you speak to customer service representatives. Record with whom you spoke, the number you called to talk to that person, and what they said. E-mail is fantastic for this purpose, as long as you keep copies of e-mails you send, because you're able to document an entire conversation and no one can challenge your word.
Decide if it's worth it. Before you fight any battle, make sure it's worth your time and energy. Are you going to spend more time on the phone and writing e-mails than you'd earn if you were working and meeting with clients instead? Are you going to get worked up and stressed out over this issue? Decide if the benefits you'll gain if you win are worth the cost of fighting the battle. Consider the likelihood of your winning, but don't let that be the deciding factor. Sometimes fighting back is just the right thing to do and it's important to let companies know you will, indeed, stand up for yourself.
State your case clearly. When it's time to stand up for yourself, make sure you are able to say what happened, how it caused you or your business harm, why you think the company should fix the problem, and how they can make things right.
Remember who you're talking to. The customer service representative you talk to first didn't set company policy, most likely didn't have anything to do with your problem, and is working a relatively low-paying job. Yelling at the customer service rep probably won't solve your problem. And it's always best to be respectful, no matter how outraged you feel. You can express your anger, but never delve into the realm of swearing and insults.
Look for a sympathetic ear. One of the smartest things you can do when you're fighting against a big company is to look for someone in the company who is willing to help you, who's sympathetic to your cause. When you start talking to people, tell them your story. Tell them what happened and how it affected you personally. Sometimes sharing this kind of information can trigger a compassionate response, and that can create a very powerful ally within the corporation. That means you've got someone who may be willing to tell you the best way to proceed - who to talk to, how to contact them, and what to expect.
Go up the chain of command. If you aren't getting satisfaction at the lowest levels, keep moving up the chain of command. In my recent battle, I had to keep fighting until I reached the CFO of the company before I found someone willing to fix the problem. Don't be afraid to talk to these executives. They need to know what's going on in their companies. Plus, they need to know that the little guy isn't going to just roll over and play dead.
Stand firm and stand strong. If anyone in a big company tries to bully you, don't back down. Stand firm and know you're in the right. Don't be afraid to remind company executives that even though you're a little guy, you have a big mouth. In this age of social media, everyone has a voice and can be heard. No company wants to be known as the big guy who stomped the little guy when times were tough.
If you have a problem with a big company and you think something should be done about it, stand up for yourself and pursue it. Aside from making a difference in how that big company does business, this is a crucial skill every businesswoman needs.
by Susan Baroncini-Moe
In a time when many people are clinging to every last dollar, you need to know how to stand up for yourself. It's not just the little guys who are struggling. The big companies are struggling, too, and they'll fight to keep your money, even when they've done something wrong and caused you to lose money. Something like this happened to me recently, and I had to stand up for myself and fight back. Today, I'm going to share with you how I fought back and won.
Make sure you're really in the right. Go back and check your facts. Make sure you really are in the right. It won't do you any good (nor is it the right thing to do) to accost your bank demanding they refund your NSF fees, if you really were at fault for not making sure there was enough money in your account. However, if a company you're doing business with does something that either causes you to lose money or keeps you from making money, then you can and should ask them to cover your losses. Before you fight any battle, a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if your claims are reasonable, fair, and honest. Document, document, document. Make sure you document when you speak to customer service representatives. Record with whom you spoke, the number you called to talk to that person, and what they said. E-mail is fantastic for this purpose, as long as you keep copies of e-mails you send, because you're able to document an entire conversation and no one can challenge your word.
Decide if it's worth it. Before you fight any battle, make sure it's worth your time and energy. Are you going to spend more time on the phone and writing e-mails than you'd earn if you were working and meeting with clients instead? Are you going to get worked up and stressed out over this issue? Decide if the benefits you'll gain if you win are worth the cost of fighting the battle. Consider the likelihood of your winning, but don't let that be the deciding factor. Sometimes fighting back is just the right thing to do and it's important to let companies know you will, indeed, stand up for yourself.
State your case clearly. When it's time to stand up for yourself, make sure you are able to say what happened, how it caused you or your business harm, why you think the company should fix the problem, and how they can make things right.
Remember who you're talking to. The customer service representative you talk to first didn't set company policy, most likely didn't have anything to do with your problem, and is working a relatively low-paying job. Yelling at the customer service rep probably won't solve your problem. And it's always best to be respectful, no matter how outraged you feel. You can express your anger, but never delve into the realm of swearing and insults.
Look for a sympathetic ear. One of the smartest things you can do when you're fighting against a big company is to look for someone in the company who is willing to help you, who's sympathetic to your cause. When you start talking to people, tell them your story. Tell them what happened and how it affected you personally. Sometimes sharing this kind of information can trigger a compassionate response, and that can create a very powerful ally within the corporation. That means you've got someone who may be willing to tell you the best way to proceed - who to talk to, how to contact them, and what to expect.
Go up the chain of command. If you aren't getting satisfaction at the lowest levels, keep moving up the chain of command. In my recent battle, I had to keep fighting until I reached the CFO of the company before I found someone willing to fix the problem. Don't be afraid to talk to these executives. They need to know what's going on in their companies. Plus, they need to know that the little guy isn't going to just roll over and play dead.
Stand firm and stand strong. If anyone in a big company tries to bully you, don't back down. Stand firm and know you're in the right. Don't be afraid to remind company executives that even though you're a little guy, you have a big mouth. In this age of social media, everyone has a voice and can be heard. No company wants to be known as the big guy who stomped the little guy when times were tough.
If you have a problem with a big company and you think something should be done about it, stand up for yourself and pursue it. Aside from making a difference in how that big company does business, this is a crucial skill every businesswoman needs.