Nobody said owning your own small business was going to be easy, however, few of us are prepared for the evil that comes are way unexpectedly. Whether it is masked by a new customer fresh with a negative story about your closest competitor, or it is that competitor intentionally lobbing harm pointedly in your direction. It is not easy. In Romans 12, Paul teaches us two very important lessons in this area.
- Leave the judgement and repayment for wrong up to God.
- Overcome evil with good.
It is easier said than done, and easier for me to write about it then faithfully and with discipline carry it out. Maybe your customer has been wronged by your competitor and it would be profitable and revengeful to expose them for the wrong. Instead, try calling your competitor or messaging them and sharing objectively your situation. Follow this with explaining professionally and tactfully how mistakes happen with humans and/or machines and reasonably suggest your competitor would appreciate the opportunity to make right. When the situation comes in reverse and your small business is the one that needs to makes things right for your customer, you would appreciate greatly if the same courtesy was extended to you instead of the easier, more frequently traveled, route of sharp criticism. Nonetheless, remember that truth and time always line up. It is not up to us to seek revenge against others wrongdoing.