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Home / Sales and Marketing / Relationships / The Referral-Based Mechanic
The Referral-Based Mechanic

The Referral-Based Mechanic

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Jun 26, 2015 By Bob Burg

In his new book, Enhanced People Skills, John Terhune tells a great story about bringing his car to his mechanic for servicing (the warranty with his dealership had expired). The particular issue was a part that would have cost him well over $500 to repair.

 
After doing some research, the mechanic informed John that the part had been recalled by the manufacture and so John should take the car back to the dealership where they’d most likely replace the part at no charge. They did and John saved what would have been an unnecessary expense.
 
Did the mechanic lose anything?
 
Well, one might say he lost over $500. But, did he really? I don’t believe so. Not only would John now never even think of taking his car to anyone else; he eagerly and enthusiastically refers everyone to him. And, John is definitely one of those Centers of Influence who business owners and salespeople want as their Personal Walking Ambassador.
 
Related Article: Personal Referrals: Keep Them Personal
 
The mechanic benefited greatly from his decision to put John’s interests before his own immediate one.
 
Please don’t think, however, that the mechanic was being selfless (which I define as “incongruent with self”). He was not. First, he was acting congruently with his values—that being honest and placing the interests of the customer first is the right way to live life.
 
Secondly, he understands that it’s also the best way to conduct business. He knew his own business would be well-taken care of. Not through some magical thinking but rather for very logical reasons. When you place the other person’s interests first, they like you more and they trust you much more than they would otherwise.
 
Not only does that feel good…it’s very, very profitable!
 
Perhaps you’ve been in John’s situation, or the mechanic’s. Feel free to share stories of either.
 
This article was originally published by Bob Burg

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Bob Burg, Referrals, Relationships

Bob Burg

Bob Burg

Bob Burg shares information on topics vital to the success of today's business person. He speaks for Fortune 500 companies, franchises, and numerous direct sales organizations. Bob’s audiences range from 50 to 16,000, and he shares the platform with today's top thought leaders, broadcast personalities, Olympic athletes and political leaders including a former United States President. He is the author of the widely-read Endless Referrals, and the WSJ best-selling business parable, The Go-Giver (coauthored with John David Mann). Bob’s newest book is Adversaries Into Allies, which draws on his own experiences and the stories of other influential people.

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