Has anyone noticed the recently troubled economy? Does it give you a sour attitude? How is this being reflected in your handling of customers or people you do business with?  With today’s economy, you can’t afford to display a bad attitude when dealing with your customers.  In sales, attitude is everything. If you come across negative, you will most likely get a negative result.  

   This all sounds so simplistic, but it is simply true. If you study the companies that are experiencing success, you will find on very common trait- Positive Attitude. There are several restaurants in our part of So. Oregon, some doing well, some not so well. I want to draw attention to one that is doing quite well. Yes there are still places that are, dare I say it, PROSPERING.   This business is owned by someone who, in 2006, left a solid and secure job to take on the uncertainty of the dream of ownership. He purchased an older restaurant and turned it from a loser into a winner. In late 2007, yes 2007, he boldly opened store number two. These two stores are both fairly small- 85-90 seats.  In spite of the report around him, this owner dared to not only open these two places, but deliver large portions at very reasonable prices. He has the place properly staffed, and the service is great. He is not looking at how to preserve the bottom line by simply cutting out size or service, instead he is preserving the SIZE and SERVICE. I have said this before, if you only run your business from the board room,and not the sales floor, trying to maintain a set of margins, no matter what it takes, you are destined to fail. In today’s market, you must meet the desires of your customers in order to increase sales and protect the bottom line.

  My friend understands that. He also knows that keeping up the positive atmosphere in his businesses is key to his continued success. In September of 2008, he was approached by a local news reporter who was looking for a story about how bad things were. She asked him for the low down regarding his struggles as a new business surviving in these perilous times. He apparently disappointed her when he said “we are doing great here”. She went on to ask him if the credit crunch had affected his ability to borrow money to make payroll, his response was that he made all of his bills without needing to borrow money. This was a shock, yet no one ever heard of it outside of his circle of friends, since she never reported it. The reporter was out for bad news and she didn’t find it there.

  A couple of weeks ago, I wrote in another of my blogs, an article titled “There is no Complaining in Faith”.  My friend is a Godly man, putting his trust in the Lord. He knows God’s feelings about complaining.  He understands, as I do, that there is now room in faith for the constant barrage of negative speak. We are not blind to what is happening, but a choice has been made to make the best of things and to believe the Bible when it says “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. “, Philippians4:19(KJV).  Faith produces great attitudes.

  Here is the facts. My friend’s business has seen a ten-fold increase since he opened it, He is currently experiencing record days in sales. He is also looking to further expand his operation. He is winning the battle with sound business practices mixed with strong faith, an unbeatable combination. He is also one of the most generous men I know.

  My point in all of this is, if you want to get caught up in all of the despair, go ahead. But, if you want to have any chance of not only surviving but succeeding, you must maintain a positive outlook. My friend and I both look to God for answers in these difficult times. It works. Don’t get taken down in the swamp of the bad report.

     Just a thought, Glenn Smith Jr- author of “The Key of Forgiveness”

Monday, February 16th, 2009 - 6:29 AM
Category: Business/Economy.

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