The basis of all relationships is ethics.

The customer-facing representative is always "under the microscope", being scrutinized by the client, where trust, commitment and character are being weighed. The minute the sales or customer service professional introduces unethical behavior in the form of minor exaggeration or major lie, the relationship is challenged, and is headed for failure.

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Ethical behavior should be the normal way of doing business, and it speaks loudly about the commitment to values and morals within any organization. During times of great excessiveness, as we have now, our values undergo intense shifts. In the not-too-distant-past, values were explored by families, and at school, and work. Those practices have all but disappeared. People today are not any less ethical than they were in the past, but there are 'mixed signals' all around us.

Getting caught up in the ethical challenges of today can absolutely affect your bottom line. Government officials, corporate leaders, sports heroes are all capable of tainting society's view of what's acceptable behavior. Carrying the "It's okay to act that way" behavior to dealing with the customer will prove to be fatal for your organization.

Are you selling to, and supporting your customers in the same way that you would like to be treated? Ethical behavior in any organization, and especially with customer-facing personnel, should be the norm.

Vortex can help you in improving your customer acquisition and retention model by providing an ethics-based initiative deliverable that mirrors your company's value and trust system.