BUSINESS RESOURCES + TOOLS | BARE BONES BIZ | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20


Dear Ellen, My husband and I run a small plumbing and heating


business. For the first time ever, we are going to accept credit cards. The credit card company requires that we provide them with our “refund policy.” Can you help?


— All the best, Carol Cautious


Dear Ms. Cautious, How about, 100% satisfaction or 100% money back?


Why not? Vow to resolve every customer complaint to the customer’s complete satisfaction, including a full refund, if that’s what it takes. When you put together your budget, add an account that


reads “Customer Satisfaction Costs.” This is an expense category for money (dinner tickets, carpet cleaning, whatever) that you give to the customers to make ’em happy. This won’t


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What's it going to take in volume to support your salaries? Who will be responsible for what? Work it all out in the pretend world first. Put a simple business plan together.


® ®


be more than 1 – 2% of your total sales. Some folks are just bad customers. Expect a few and budget them in. For big jobs, build


payment points throughout the production, to keep cash flowing and to spot — and resolve — dissatisfaction before the job is finished.;


e Circle 14 on reader reply card


Join me for the 12-step, Step by Step Success program. The power of one simple, focused action, one step at a time. Check out www.StepByStep BusinessBuilding .com. Reach me at 417/753- 1111 or at contact@ barebonesbiz.com.


phc february 2011 www.phcnews.com


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