Jody Richwagen
Email Marketing Communications & Web Site Services
It seems as if I was genetically pre-disposed to become a Rotarian once women were approved to become members last century, actually 1987 to be exact. When I became a charter member of the Rotary Club of Blue Bell in 1989, it marked the 4th generation of my family in Rotary, as my great-grandfather, both grandfathers and my father were all Rotarians.
One of the first things a Rotarian learns and quickly adopts is the Four-Way Test. I regularly find myself asking these questions in both my personal and professional experiences:
| THE FOUR - WAY TEST Of the things we think, say or do
|
The Four-Way Test is Still Relevant
Easy to say that this test developed nearly a century ago by Rotarian, Herbert Taylor, is out of step with today’s society and challenging business environment, although I believe these questions are now more relevant than ever. If everyone asked themselves these four, important questions instead of “what’s in it for me,” perhaps the world would be in a better place, and global politics would look a lot different and by now, the economy would be in recovery mode versus stagnant?
Just for fun, and as an example, I applied Rotary’s Four-Way-Test to one of my recent car repair episodes. I was having some problems with my ignition so I took my car to a local small business mechanic who diagnosed a rather expensive repair. However, before reaching that conclusion he spent a great deal of time eliminating the less-costly fixes and gave me his rationale. As much as I would have preferred a different answer, he gave me the TRUTH. He was FAIR because he identified other solutions and in the end gave me a reasonable estimate which he stood behind. It was BENEFICIAL to me to have a reliable vehicle moving forward and of course, he was fairly compensated. Most important, he succeeded in creating GOOD WILL for himself and his business by providing me with excellent customer care and service.
Engage, Develop, Repeat
We talk about “engaging customers, developing loyalty and building repeat business,” as the fundamental objectives of most marketing communication programs, most especially those involving Internet marketing / social media. I encourage you to incorporate the four-way test into your personal and professional relationships and responsibilities, and see what kind of goals you can set and meet, not to mention the kind of results you can achieve! We invite you to respond to this post by sharing one of your four-way test experiences with us.
Easy to say that this test developed nearly a century ago by Rotarian, Herbert Taylor, is out of step with today’s society and challenging business environment, although I believe these questions are now more relevant than ever. If everyone asked themselves these four, important questions instead of “what’s in it for me,” perhaps the world would be in a better place, and global politics would look a lot different and by now, the economy would be in recovery mode versus stagnant?
Just for fun, and as an example, I applied Rotary’s Four-Way-Test to one of my recent car repair episodes. I was having some problems with my ignition so I took my car to a local small business mechanic who diagnosed a rather expensive repair. However, before reaching that conclusion he spent a great deal of time eliminating the less-costly fixes and gave me his rationale. As much as I would have preferred a different answer, he gave me the TRUTH. He was FAIR because he identified other solutions and in the end gave me a reasonable estimate which he stood behind. It was BENEFICIAL to me to have a reliable vehicle moving forward and of course, he was fairly compensated. Most important, he succeeded in creating GOOD WILL for himself and his business by providing me with excellent customer care and service.
Engage, Develop, Repeat
We talk about “engaging customers, developing loyalty and building repeat business,” as the fundamental objectives of most marketing communication programs, most especially those involving Internet marketing / social media. I encourage you to incorporate the four-way test into your personal and professional relationships and responsibilities, and see what kind of goals you can set and meet, not to mention the kind of results you can achieve! We invite you to respond to this post by sharing one of your four-way test experiences with us.
Jody Richwagen served as a member of the Blue Bell Rotary Club’s Charter Board of Directors and in various club positions, including Club President in 1993 – ’94, and later served as an Assistant Governor in District 7430. Scheduling conflicts have prevented her from maintaining her membership and attending regular weekly meetings, but she continues to exemplify the infamous Rotary motto, “Service above… self ~ he profits most who serves best!”
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