Punctuality in Business: What it Says About You

"Nothing inspires confidence in a business man sooner than punctuality, nor is there any habit which sooner saps his reputation than that of being always behind time." (W. Mathews)

Being tardy can be a serious marketing blunder for today's business owner. From being late to meetings with a colleague or client, to not delivering your product or service on time, tardiness speaks volumes about who you are and how you do business. If you want customers to choose to do business with you, you must meet their expectations for performance. If you can't meet deadlines for delivering products and services, customers will quickly find their way to your competitors.

What does being punctual say about you?

1. You care. Showing up and on time is one of the best ways to show someone that you care about them. By keeping our commitments to others, we are acknowledging them and their needs. Caring about our customers must be our number one priority since it is through our relationships that we build our business. No one knows how much you care until you show them ? by showing up.

2. You respect others. Horace Mann said, "Unfaithfulness in the keeping of an appointment is an act of clear dishonesty. You may as well borrow a person's money as his time." Arriving on time for customer meetings, speaking engagements, meetings with vendors, or anything else you do in your business, shows that you respect others. Respect is the foundation for creating great long-term relationships with your clients.

3. You are professional. Thomas C. Haliburton said, "Punctuality is the soul of business." As a business professional, you have a toolkit of knowledge and behaviors that serve to create an aura of professionalism. Being on time is a fundamental tool for anyone who wants to be perceived as being the very best.

4. You are confident. When you show up on time, it's a sign that you are confident to take on whatever might lay before you. Tardiness can imply that you aren't confident, that you are hesitating to deal with a person or situation, possibly because you don't have the skills, knowledge or tools to create a successful outcome. Confidence is the companion of success, and by showing up on time, you're putting yourself one step closer to achieving it.

5. You are ready to receive others. Punctuality says to others, "I'm ready". It implies that you are open to allowing more into your life. You're ready to meet with a client to discuss business. You're ready to deliver a presentation. You're ready to be involved with whatever is set before you. People who "aren't ready" tend to show up late or not at all.

6. You have an edge. Being punctual gives you an edge in business. Undoubtedly you've heard the proverb, "The early bird gets the worm", or in our case, the work. In today's competitive business climate, timing is everything. With businesses moving at the speed of light thanks to the latest technologies, delay of any sort can cost you clients. Being punctual is great; being early is even better!

7. You're in control. Not only do people choose to do business with those who they like, know, and trust, they also like doing business with people who are in control. Business owners who always arrive early or on time to appointments give the impression that they manage things well. It gives customers the impression that you are reliable in everything that you do. People want to do business with people who are in control.

8. You have a standard for excellence. Punctuality is a standard for operating excellence. Not only does it imply that you are in control of your business, it shows that you respect yourself and others. Successful, well-liked business owners typically have punctuality as one of their highest values. In a business world where rules are constantly changing, showing up on time will always be at the top of the list when it comes to standards of excellence.

9. You keep things in flow. When you are on time or when you deliver your products and services on time, you keep things in flow. Other people and events are affected by what you do and don't do. If you don't show up or if you don't deliver as promised, you can adversely affect the plans of others. By showing up on time, you allow other people and things to show up on time as well. Everybody wins.

10. Your habit is your brand. Over time, if you deal with the same person or groups of people, you will become known as someone who is punctual. You will be perceived as a business professional who respects others and who is confident and in control. This natural way of being will take on a life of its own and become part of your business branding.

© Copyright 2004 Alicia Smith Consulting & Training. All Rights Reserved.

Alicia Smith, a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping coaches to Make Money Now wrote this article.

This article is derived from just one of the 26 lessons contained in her audio program, Marketing Marathon Blunders From A ? Z. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit the following sites or email her at alicia@aliciasmith.com

---

Why Would Anyone Do That in My Meeting?

Imagine that you open a meeting by saying, "We need... Read More

Interviewing Candidates: 3 Ways to Avoid Snap Judgments

Have you ever hired the wrong person? If so, perhaps... Read More

What Cross-cultural Training Can Do for You

International business is more complex than ever before. Success in... Read More

Identifying Potential in Ourselves and Others

If there is someone nearby as you read this look... Read More

Leadership Skills

Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at... Read More

Change Management: Avoid Havoc In Very Uncertain Times

Escalating gas prices...tensions and turmoil in the Middle East...a struggling... Read More

Collections Management

How long does it take your customers, clients or patients... Read More

Make It Easy to Reply - Voice Mail That Works

If you are like most business people, voice mail has... Read More

Protect Your Computer System with a Comprehensive Security Policy

The most difficult part of creating a Security Policy for... Read More

Why Management Kills Creativity

Ten or so years ago, an international consultant, specializing in... Read More

Quality Standards with ISO 9001

Standardizing Quality SystemsThe ISO, or International Organization for Standardization, was... Read More

Keeping and Motivating the Best Employees

Keeping and Motivating the Best Employees ... Read More

Appraisal Systems - Not Living Up to Their Objectives

Almost, if not all organisations have them, they've been around... Read More

How to Delegate Effectively

ACCOUNTABILITY: Delegation is not complete unless subordinates are held accountable... Read More

How To Learn Great Management from Our Kids

Learning comes from many places. And one of the most... Read More

ISO 9001 Registration ? 8 Steps for Success

You've made the plans, built the quality system and conducted... Read More

Innovation Management: What Problem Is Being Solved?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Strategic Outsourcing: Testing the Outsourcing Waters and Staying Afloat

Before Gertrude Ederle began her historic swim off of Cape... Read More

Business & Family Safety and Health Rating

For good reason, practically every endeavor in life is rated.... Read More

Employee Retention: Keeping the People Who Keep You in Business

The retention of highly skilled knowledge workers is one of... Read More

Internal Communication: 12 Essential Elements

There are 12 essential elements of a successful internal communications... Read More

How to Approach Group Decision Making

GROUP DECISION MAKING -- IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM: Tell specifically what... Read More

Five Principles of Effective Communication

The problem with communication is the illusion that it has... Read More

Assertiveness Helps Accomplish Everything

When trying to get something accomplished, assertive behavior is the... Read More

First Things First -- Process BEFORE Technology

Here's a brief story I encountered while leaving Newark International... Read More

Performance Management Made Easy

Performance Management is a process that both employer and employee... Read More

Balancing Power in Outsource Contract Agreements

The practice of outsourcing business processes has long been subject... Read More

On the Road to Assertiveness

Learning to be assertive takes time, courage and the ability... Read More

Lessons From Innovative Companies

What do the companies 3M, Polaroid, and Walt Disney have... Read More

Management Team Section of Business Plans

Writing an award winning business plan is a great skill,... Read More

How to Leverage Your Strengths for Peak Performance

Ask almost any business leader how to most effectively develop... Read More

Work Priorities: Where Can You Spend Your Time Most Effectively?

Understanding where you can spend time most effectively requires concentration... Read More

Terrible Meetings - Ten Ways to Spot Them!

Sometimes, better than giving advice about how to run things... Read More