Is the Service Worth Paying For?

  In these times of financial hardship, the last thing anyone wants to do is spend their money foolishly.  To neglect your health and well being during these times is absurd, to continue to give your money to a person that lacks professionalism is down right stupid.  Allow me the pleasure of showing you the flaws to look for in the professional service industry. 

1.  Is your professional respectful? - By this I mean, are they consistently on time, are they prepared for your appointment, are they attententive to your wants and needs?  You are paying money for their time and attention to you.  You should be their number one priority while you are paying for their service and time.  This should be your first sign to identify if your service provider is truly a professional based on their ability to stay organized and accountable to you.

2.  Is your professional knowledgeable?  What is their educational background, why did they chose this profession, what certifing bodies are they affiliated with?  Every professional that offers a service should be able to give you their acreditations.  They should also be able to tell you why they decided to pursue their profession, this will tell you if this is just a job or is it their passion.

3.  Would you refer your parents to them?  Would you feel comfortable with them working with your mom or dad.  No matter what your parents age, religious beliefs, voting affiliations, or quirks may be, can this professional still maintain a level of professional service with them?  If they are not good enough to work with the vine, they certainly are not good enough to work with the grapes!

4.  Does your professional keep consultation records?  Can they show you the last time you visited them, and what they worked on?  If they are never keeping detailed records of what your concerns are and what they last saw you for, how can they prove to you that the service they provide is making you better.  If it is not documented, then it never happened!

5.  Is the professional providing you with everything they promised on your initial consultation?  You agreed to their services because they offered something a competitor could not.  If they are not fulfilling their promise to you, then they are unethical and are only telling you what you want to hear to entice you to part with your money. 

6.  Does your professional follow up with you regularly?  The essence of service is a focus on the customer, not only while your there but also after you leave.  If they are no willing to keep in contact with you on a regular basis, then they are not worth your hard earned dollar.

7.  Is their service a commodity or a luxury?  This is the last and most important qualifier of a service professional.  Is their service something you would find a way to continue during financial setbacks, or is it a service you only indulge in when you have extra discretionary income?

  Professionals are the people we entrust to perform many of the services we can't perform ourselves.  They are a large part of our daily lives and are in many cases necessary to perform many of our basic needs.  This in no way puts us at a disadvantage, they can't survive without customers.  This means that we hold the cards, and now with the knowledge that we possess we must begin to hold these professionals accountable as ambassadors of their industries and demand they perform their jobs up to our standards.