When you hear the word “customer” do you feel a knot in your stomach or do you feel your lips turning into a smile?
Do you perceive the customer – the one ultimately paying your pay-check – as an enemy or as a friend?
We have been asked to explain “What Would Love Do Now?”, not in the context of a love, emotional relationship but to quote the person asking “in the real world”.
Well, what could be more “real” than attending to your customer, the one who may pay you for a product or a service which could materially affect your livelihood? Is that real enough?
When you deal with others with “What Would Love Do Now?” you honor them, you respect them, you trust them and you love them. This allows them to honor you, respect you, trust you and love you.
Assume you are selling your services or products to a customer and if you come from Ego (Edging God Out) and try to control and manipulate the customer they could be persuaded that your service or product is ideal for them. This control and manipulation, through possible lies, deceit and dishonesty and by taking advantage of your specialist knowledge, and their lack of knowledge could convince them to pay for your product or service, which may not really be suitable for them. Through this control and manipulation your Ego finds their Ego, and through clever words and promises they become the acquirer of your service or product and you acquire their money in exchange.
However, this will be a short term relationship and when your product or service does not deliver the promised expectations and the customer becomes dissatisfied, they will work against you at Ego level. They will tell others that you cannot be trusted.
Conversely, if you are selling a service or product to a customer, if you honor them, if you respect them, if you trust them and if you show them love they, in turn, will feel your sincerity and your integrity. They will honor you, respect you, trust you and love you. At Soul level, if the service or product is really suitable for them and will be beneficial for them in the short term, and in the long term, then they will become your friend and you will become their friend. They will become your loyal customer providing you treat them as you would a trusted friend.
These customers will now bring their friends and associates into your customer circle. They will advise others that this is someone you can trust as a friend. This is someone who I endorse. If you trust me you can trust him/her.
All it took was to come from Soul, to honor, to respect, to trust and to show love to the customer and allow them to honor you, to respect you, to trust you and to show love to you.
Therefore “What Would Love Do Now?” is the magic formula, whether it is in the “real” world of making a living or the “real” world of emotional relationships. A friend is a friend no matter where the friendship is consummated.
In lesson 16 Marriages are for Growth not for Happiness We explain true friendship. Relationships based on friendship are voluntary associations. Both friends in the relationship expect the other to act in the best interests of the friendship. Trust, respect, confidentiality and love are taken for granted as true friendships develop. There are no contracts, no formal commitment in a true friendship. Expectation levels are always met as they are set at realistic levels. Both friends treasure the true friendship and would not want to damage it at any cost.
True friendships last 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or even more years. True friendships can endure friends living apart at opposite ends of the world, if circumstances so prevail.
True friendship is seen through the heart of Soul – not through the eyes of Ego.
True friendships come from Soul, from Love. There is no room for Ego in true friendships.
Now perhaps when you say “Next Customer Please!” you can start to sense the beginnings of a wonderful friendship. You feel your lips curl into a smile as you greet your new friend in honor, respect, trust and love by saying to yourself “What Would Love Do Now?” Your sincerity, integrity and love will shine from inside of you radiating out to your new friend.