You're Worth It
"There are complete men and incomplete men. If you would be a complete man, put all of your soul's strength into all of your life's actions." - Eugenio Maria de Hostos
By Denise Lloyd
7/1/2002
"I work as hard as I can. I invest in modern equipment and make sure my employees are well trained.
"I do everything I can to guarantee my customers receive a quality repair for a fair price. Yet, I watch the guy down the street get the business because he undercuts my price.
"Of course he can charge less, he does shoddy work and has very little invested in his shop. Sometimes, I wonder if doing a good job is really worth it?"
Have you ever found yourself asking the same question? Is it worth it?
Let's face it, there are many shops out there (one of them may be just down the street from you) that don't do quality work. Why should you bother to make the extra effort, to put out the added expense when it's obvious these shops perform poor quality repairs and still get customers?
Is it worth it to do a good job?
The answer depends on why you bothered to do a good job in the first place. Just who are you doing a good job for?
The person you are ultimately working for isn't the customer - the person you have to please is yourself. You have to be proud of what you do for a living and the way that you do it.
If doing a good job matters to you, if being a professional matters to you, then all the hard work and investment is worth it. When you lock your shop and go home at night, knowing you made your customers happy is nice. Knowing you did a job you can be proud of makes you one of Mr. Hostos's "complete men."
You always strive to do your best because you demand it of yourself.
It's worth it because you're worth it.