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Talking Technology By Steve Burns, Talking Technology columnist Think back to when you opened up your first bank account. Do you remember the anticipation, the excitement of the moment? Well, if you are eight-year -old Nicolette Folk, think again. Nicolette is a precious girl who is a close friend of my son Joshua. Nicolette is a girl that any parent would be proud of—always polite and always going out of her way to be sure that you know that she appreciates you. Nicolette was so excited when her parents, Sherril and Barry Folk, announced that they were going to take her to the bank that day to open up her first bank account. When they arrived at their bank, they learned that customers need a previously arranged appointment in order to see someone about opening an account. The Folks were told they would needed to come back the next day. “Nicolette was so disappointed”, her dad said. “There she was with all of her savings and no where to put it. So I thought that we would go to Prospera Credit Union. “After all, they seem to be different than the banks.” Unfortunately, due to a number of compounding mistakes, Prospera turned her away as well. They mistakenly told Nicolette that they couldn't open up an account unless her parents had their accounts with Prospera. As Nicolette put it, “I cried when I arrived at home. I just didn't understand why they didn't want my money. Why would they say no to me?” When my wife Angela learned about the situation later that day, she said to me “It just doesn't seem right.” I thought I would follow up with Lorraine McGrath, regional vice-president of Prospera Credit Union, to let her know of the situation and ask her if anything could be done. The real test of a business isn't what is done when everything is going well, but rather how you react when something goes horribly wrong. To McGrath's credit, she looked into the situation immediately the next day, found out that her credit union had made a serious administrative mistake, and then mobilized her team to act quickly. “We received a call first thing the next morning. They were very apologetic for what had happened,” Barry Folk said. “They promised that they would do whatever they could to make this right. We could come in at our convenience, if Nicolette still wanted an account at Prospera. “When her mother asked Nicolette what she would like to do, she said, “I would like to give them a second chance to take my money.” Nicolette described the experience for me. “When we arrived at Prospera, they treated me very special. They allowed me to open my own account. They made me feel very important and appreciated. Best of all, they gave me a bank card, a Yoyo, a Frisbee and they put an extra $20 in my very own account.” I asked Nicolette to summarize for me what advice she would give to other children facing a similar circumstance. “Sometimes the first time you try something new it doesn't always work out. “But, if you are willing to give someone a second chance, things can work out very well.” Thank you Nicolette for sharing your story with us and teaching us two very important lessons. First, if we have had a poor experience with a business, we should be willing to give them a second chance. Second, all businesses need to remember that it is how they react when a mistake has been made that will make the longest lasting impression on customers—even if they are only old eight- years- old. Steve Burns, CA, CMC, CFP, is the president and CEO of Burns Innovation Group Inc. and Steve Burns Inc. Chartered Accountant, which provide consulting and accounting services to entrepreneurs. You can reach him at 763-4716 or via e-mail at: |
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