Elevate With Lawrence

I remember the first time I stopped by this woman’s shop to grab biscuits. She had all sorts of biscuits on display in front of the shop and sighting my favorite then, I couldn’t help but want to buy. It was getting scarce in this area anyway.

As usual if you know me well, I greeted her in the best “tooshed” accent I could muster. Don’t blame my excitement.
“Hello ma. Good morning”

“Hello dear. Good morning” she replied audible enough in ‘good English’ with a warm smile.

I was literally flabagasted immediately. I could have sworn she was also a diction teacher at some private school. She told me how nice the biscuit was as she packed them for me in black nylon. As I waited for my change, I noticed how tidy the environment was and the goods neatly displayed on shelves and tables.
As I made to leave she said “thank you” and urged me to stop by next time.

THERE’S ONLY A FIRST TIME TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION.

The reception from her that morning got me that even when she moved some blocks away into a bigger shop few months later, I didn’t mind trekking the distance, passing even the shops in front of the compound I lived.

You stop by some shops to grab a thing or two and it’s either the shopkeeper is slow to attend to you, or the place is crowdy and their kids all over the place, or the environment is unkept and the items dusty, or their countenance is just cold and unwelcoming. As if you are the cause of their problem.

Supermarkets with lots of attendees just lying around doing nothing but doting on their phones and getting in the ways of customers is bad for business.

Not every business that failed was due to “village people” or some sort of government policy. Sometimes it is just because of bad reception on your own part.
There’s this thing with Courtesy in business that beats paid promotion and adverts.

People love where they are treated well. Customers love where they are appreciated for their patronage . It doesn’t help your business that buyers come and leave with disgruntled feelings or unsatisfied service. Courtesy in business covers so many flaws which would have otherwise driven customers away.

Learn to smile as a vendor or business owner. Whatever personal problems you might have, it does your business no good letting it interfer with your business.

If you’re running a supermarket with staffs working for you, it doesn’t hurt to have periodic training with them on Customer-seller interactions. To get maximum impact, encourage well deserving staffs so as to encourage others as well.

Treat your business like it is your business (no pun intended) and put courtesy at the top shelf of your business strategy. It keeps your customers and warms it’s way into the heart of first time patronizers.

Hope you find this helpful.

“My friend I’ve told you to come tommorow in the evening. Don’t disturb me” the police man replied obviously irritated.
His response stung me as I and Femi stood staring down at him from where he sat idling away on his phone.

“But oga sir we just told you we were redirected from Ojota division to come table our complaints here.” I persisted. “It’s unlike her to spend the night outside home”

“This is the last time I’ll say this. Come tomorrow when it’s up to a day to file your case. Now leave my office.” He was done with us.

We left the police station and headed back home. It was past 2pm and mama wasn’t back from church yet. For the next 30 minutes Femi kept calling friends and relatives to ask for Tope’s whereabout but the answers were the same; no one had seen her after she boarded a bus from the park yesterday evening.

Mama returned from church visibly worried and immediately asked if Tope had been contacted.

“No mama, not yet” I managed to say.
She eased herself down and sat on the pavement with a dejected look, her legs stretched out, removed her hair tie and tossed her Bible to the side.

“Toni where is your sister?” she asked with years already flowing from her eyes. “What has happened to her?” She asked, her voice faltering amidst sob.

I sat next to her in an embrace,assuring her Tope would be fine. Her cries only intensified and I had to fight back tears from my eyes, had to stay strong for her. To think of what might have happened to my younger sister; no. Neighbours and close relatives gathered around to console and assure mama Tope woul show up eventually but mama went on like the worst had happened already.

The night was long and gloomy with no respite and morning painfully slow to come. Mama cried, prayed and sang all night for her Tope. I only hoped God heard her cry; the cry of a grieving mother.

Morning finally came and with mama a bit calm I hurriedly prepared to get to the police station as soon as possible to lodge an official complaint when Femi ran into the house screaming my name.

“Toni! Toni!! I just got a call from an unknown number. Tope has been found. We have to go now”

“Eh? Where? Where is she? Who…”

“Toni let’s get going now there’s no time” Femi interjected.
I followed him out of the house at break speed before mama could ask to come with us. Femi couldn’t answer my questions so I stopped asking and kept hoping for the best with my heart in my mouth. It was a hospital and there was police presence all around. I counted 5 hillux. A man sat on the ground in handcuffs and not far from him was a body barely visible. My heart broke and I could swear I felt Mama’s grieve intensify at that moment.

Tope had been found…dead and mutilated. Her private part missing. She was in severe pains and suffering at the moment of her death as her contorted grimace showed.The suspect was the driver of the bus she had boarded that fateful evening. He claimed to be innocent of the crime…but don’t they always say that?

The news got to mama long before I could find the courage to go home and tell her myself. She wailed uncontrollably. No one could restrain her. No one could. The hawk had taken her chick and not even the farmer can stop her from grieving.

We buried our dead days later in an unmarked grave so her spirit knows there is debt yet to be collected in this world. Justice would be served. It might not be righteous but it would be swift, unforgiven and uncanny.

A soul was given, a pact with the devil has been struck and there’ll be no mercy even in death.

DEATH COMES FOR US ALL.
FOR_THE_DIGNITY_OF_LIFE

®Lawrence_Writes★

Courtesy and your business

Untold Tales 1.