Guide: How To Not Get Your Business Name Trashed In Amarillo
Over the weekend, there was an incident involving two business owners that led to one of the businesses getting their named trashed online. The whole messy affair got me thinking about what are the best things you can do to keep your business from getting roasted online.
Don't Use Slurs
You can be the angriest person in the world. You can be upset about the way a situation went. That doesn't mean it's okay for you to use slurs when referring to your fellow humans.
If you're upset about something, pause and use your adult-brain to express yourself. People will equate your temper tantrum with the possible service they would get at your establishment.
Don't Throw Things
Throwing things is only cool in the movies, at best. It usually isn't acceptable to pour, throw, toss, lob, or hurl a drink at anyone.
No one, in the history of ever, has seen someone throw a drink on someone and then thought to themselves, "Man, that was awesome." Again, this is an instance where people will equate your behavior towards others as how you will treat them in your establishment.
If You Screw Up, Own It And Make Good
If you do have a momentary lapse of judgement, own it. Don't blame other people. Don't blame the weather. Don't make excuses. Own it. If appropriate, issue an apology to those you've wronged. Make sure it is a real apology; not an I'm-sorry-but apology. That's called a non-apology.
People won't instantly forget what you've done, and they probably won't instantly forgive you. However, you will have laid the ground work for possibly surviving the whole thing; if that's even possible.
Don't Hide Behind God's Apron Strings
This is the worst. Don't drag God into this. Do not use a copy of the Bible as your defense, or even worse, to remind everyone to love their neighbor and turn the other cheek.
They'll just ask you where your piety was when you were acting like a fool. Also, if this is the card you play, it will only make it harder for you to offer a sincere apology.
Shut Up And Listen
For the love of all things cute and cuddly, shut up and listen. You can't even begin to make things right if you have no idea exactly what you did wrong. Listen, and then move forward.
We live in an age where information is everywhere, and it's instant. In minutes, any piece of info can reach hundreds or thousands of people. This should be more than enough encouragement for everyone to treat each other in all kindness, and to truly treat others as they would want to be treated.