THE SUCCESSFUL METHOD

Goodwill

A PUBLISHER, who had despatched ten thousand copies of a book specially printed for a big institution, was suddenly summoned to meet its manager. No sooner had he set foot in his office than the manager began to heap abuse on him for having sent him spoilt copies of the book. “Look at these edges,’’ he shouted, “Look at how badly cut they are!” While the manager continued to vent his anger on him, the publisher picked up several copies and examined them. They were indeed defective. When the manager’s fury had abated somewhat, the publisher very quietly asked him why he was so upset. “It is our loss and it is, therefore, for us to feel bad about it.” This stopped the manager short in his tirade. “What on earth do you mean?” he asked. “How is it your loss?”

The publisher said, “Obviously I cannot expect you to accept this whole consignment in the condition it is in. I shall of course, take every copy back and have fresh consignment printed, at my own expense.

It is my responsibility to make good the defect.” When the manager heard this, he immediately softened. All his harshness vanished. The printer’s admission of his mistake and his willingness to compensate had wrought a kind of miracle. This offer went completely beyond his expectations and it was quite natural that he should be impressed by the magnanimity of the gesture. “No,” he said, “Why should you bear such heavy expenses?” Hearing the kindness of his tone, the publisher ventured to make another suggestion “I have an idea of how I can rectify this,” he said, “Let me have few copies of the book, and if it works, there will be no need to reprint them.” The manager agreed, the printer took ten copies, re-cut them with great care, then brought them back and showed them to the manager. The latter was quite satisfied that they were now in excellent shape and requested him to have all of the defective books similarly re-cut.

‘I am ready to admit to a one-foot fault even when it is only an inch in the eyes of the customer,” said the printer. “It is very important to make such concessions if one is to be successful in business. A satisfied customer creates no problems and the moment a fault comes to my notice, I invariably inform the customer before he has even suspected that anything is wrong. Then I leave it to the customer to suggest how matters should be rectified. As a rule, this elicits the customer’s sympathy and the matter ends with absolutely no ill-will on either side.”