It’s been a difficult couple of weeks here. First there was the referendum and the decision that the UK would leave the European Union (Brexit); then there was England’s defeat at the hands of Iceland in the UEFA Euro 2016 championship.
I was firmly in favour of staying in the European Union, but we must now wait to see what happens and adjust to new circumstances. The worst part of it is that both main political parties seem to have gone into meltdown, with the Prime Minister resigning and calls for the leader of the opposition to do the same.
At a difficult time like this, you just hope that everyone will act with professionalism and this applies just as much in your day to day job as it does in the realms of politics. It’s important that you work to attain a professional reputation. The reason? People who are recognised as having this are usually the first to be considered for promotion, they get on better in their careers and, of course, usually earn more money. Not to be sniffed at! Plus, it works wonders for your self-esteem.
And professionalism is just as important if you are working for yourself. If you’ve got the right attitude it will help you to plan more effectively, organise your time and deal with your customers and clients in a way that will make them want to come back and do business with you time and time again. It’s a known fact that it’s far more economical, where possible, to get loyal customers that provide repeat business rather than having to constantly advertise and seek new customers. (Though you’ll always have to do that, too, if your business is to succeed.)
It’s also particularly important because of the internet. Before buying a product or booking a holiday many people now check review sites, such as Trustpilot and TripAdvisor, to see what people have to say about the quality of the goods or services on offer. Some companies respond to compliments or criticism and it’s especially important in such circumstances to be professional in the way you deal with complaints. It can have a big impact on the reputation of your business.
Talking of which, if you want some first-class advice on both starting and running a businesses then you should seriously consider enrolling on our Start Your Own Business Course. It’s been put together by experts and leads you step-by-step from your first ideas for your business, through the process of assessing your strengths and weaknesses and then shows you how to put everything together to set up and develop a successful business.
The next few months will be a time of real change in the UK – I just hope it will be for better, not worse!
Author: Diana Nadin
