Crystal Webster

By Crystal Webster

I’ve been to a national office supply store what seems to be about every day this month in an attempt to get ready for the spring and summer months. Occasionally, I purchase the wrong item and it takes me a little bit to return it to the store.

I returned a day planner the other day because it just wasn’t going to work for me. I present the cashier with my item and my receipt and she immediately tells me that I purchased the planner 32 days ago so the receipt was no longer valid, BUT she could do the return without the receipt and just put it on a gift card. Seeing as that’s how I paid for it in the first place, and the fact that I’d just turn around and spend it, I had no problem.

After about 10 minutes of fumbling with the computer system she tells me that I’m getting a refund of about $35. “That’s great! But, I only spent $25. See, here’s my receipt.” I was politely  reminded that my receipt was no longer valid because it was more than 30 days old and I would just have to accept the return as is, or keep the item.

Well, of course, I took the cash and went about my day.

This got me thinking about how I run my business and if there are things that I do “just because that’s how they’re done” or “because that’s how I’ve always done them.” I realized just the other day I spent three visits with a seller trying to get all the paperwork put together when it would have been more convenient for everyone if we just did it through Docusign.com. I realized I can be way too eager and accommodating when it comes to meeting people places (friends and business acquaintances alike).

Are there things you do in your business that might not be the most productive or profitable?

Crystal Webster is a REALTOR® in the Kansas City area. Visit her at www.kcyoungprofessionals.com and www.theheritagehometeam.com.