Why? What are you talking about? Here is the premise. Most people, including myself, are pretty selfish. We spend most of our days looking for what will bring us the most amount of satisfaction.
For instance. When I was a Boy Scout I learned the slogan “Do a good turn daily.” This is a great slogan and I think everyone should live by it. Why? you ask. and what does this have to do with selfishness. This is what I learned. As I helped people and I could see it made a difference in their lives and they would smile and say thank you. I got this overwhelming sense of satisfaction. You may say you were being unselfish and that may be true. But the great amount of satisfaction I gained was more than the sacrifice. I have continued to try to do my “Good turn daily” not because I consciously remember I have to. But because I am looking for that overwhelming sense of satisfaction I get from it. I am sometimes disappointed when I can not be the helper. I am totally addicted to helping people. Some would say I am a good person. But sometimes, like now I really am just selfish. because I am ultimately doing it for me.
However I can’t go around helping people all day. I have to do something to make money. I need to support myself. I need to support my family. I need to support my selfishness. This is all redundant we all ready know this.
Well apply it in your business. Realize all your employees are selfish and have their intrests in mind. You as a business owner need to figure out a way to get your employees selfish interests to be the same as your. First you have to define what your selfish interests are and which of your selfish interests will keep you in business.
For instance. You want money, Your employees want money. You have that in common. How do you get money? This is a ridiculous question, but stay with me here, just answer the question. “Customers buy your product or service” You want the customer to come back as many times as possible to pull out there wallet and give you some of their money. So you love your customers, well most of them, and you want them to love you. Your second selfish desire you want your customers to love you. You need to have your employees want the customers to love them. Because that means more for you.
In many industries will pay the employee who helps a customer buy something from you in the form of commission or bonus or what ever. One extra question are you compensating your employees when customers love them and buy again. I think the car industry should pay differently. I think the sales person should get a salary. Enough so they can eat. But then pay them a commission structure such so that every time a customer comes back or brings another customer to the dealership they get more. So they don’t get a bonus when they sell them a car. But they get a $100 bonus when they sell them a second car. a $300 dollar bonus when they sell them a second car and $600 bonus/commission when they sell them the third car. It should motivate those employees motivated by money to make sure that customer is happy, really happy, and coming back the second and third time. This type of bonus/commission structure helps keeps the salesperson loyal. It also keeps the owner loyal to the salesmen. Because the relationship the customer has is with the salesperson and there is the real chance if they leave so will their customers. But their bonuses will leave with them.
