Written by: LaKeisha Hammett

One thing I learned early in business is that the customer is not always right, but neither is the consultant.  In any relationship, business or personal, all parties involved need to learn how to work together to get the most from the relationship.  Failure to properly communicate may lead to catastrophic failure leaving everyone feeling dazed and confused. 

Here are a few “rules to live by” to help you get the most out of your business relationships.

Respect Each Other’s Time.  There are only so many hours in a day, and for many of today’s multi-tasking individuals, the day is planned days in advance, if not weeks.  Showing up late for appointments and last minute cancellations are not acceptable.  It may prove more beneficial to give a quick call explaining that you are running late and give your client or consultant the opportunity to wait or reschedule the appointment.

Respect Each Other’s Expertise.  No one knows your business as well as you, but at the same time, you have employed your consultant because of his expertise.  Allow him to do his job so you can focus on your business.  After all, that’s why you hired him.

Return Calls and Emails.  Oprah Winfrey once stated that an important rule in business is to return all phone calls.  You may have a busy schedule, but someone took the time out of his schedule to reach out to you.  Although you may not be interested in what he is offering today, your return call or email may lead to future opportunities or referrals for your business.

Learn to Listen.    Learning to listen is a major part of effective communication.  It’s easy to interrupt or interject, but allowing your client or consultant an opportunity to finish his thought lets him know that you value what they have to say.  You never know-you just may learn something new.

Give Feedback.  Many times in relationships, we don’t know there is a problem until it is too late.  Instead of addressing our issues, we often jeopardize our relationship to spare hurt feelings.  This only results in needs not being met.  For a relationship to grow, all parties must be willing to give feedback and receive feedback. 

Healthy relationships are based on mutual respect, fairness, and trust.  Try to apply these simple, but often complicated, rules and give your business relationships a chance to grow and prosper.

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