The most important value to any one person and/or business is integrity. Once you lose it, it is very difficult to regain - especially in the eyes of your customers and those you work with.
Integrity should absolutely be part of your business' core values. It's amazing to me how many managers or CEO's have placed core values at the bottom of their concern. Number one on their mind is often sales, competitors, costs, and the bottom line. Here's a flash: business makes more money on deliverying a positive experience - over and over. That in itself is a very nice "core value".
I would put my money on having a strong set of core values. I'm pretty sure it would enhance sales, lower marketing costs and improve the bottom line. How? Let's throw a sticky wad on the board and call it Core Value #1, Simplification: "We don't waste anybody's time." Or, Core Value #2, Personal: "Our customers are people, not transactions."
Get the idea? If you want to experience a positive, long-term customer relationship, clarify and live up to a set of highly relevant core values. I didn't say relevant to you. I'm speaking of the customer. And by the way, make sure your staff and employees know what they are and live up to them without failure.
I'd love to learn how your organization promotes its core values.
