Trustomers: Part 1

This will be a 2 part series… Or 3. I don’t know yet. It depends on how many run-ins I have

Being an online business has its perks.

No rent.
No taxes. (Yet)

But the one thing to build as an entrepreneur is trust. You have to trust your customers. And your customers have to trust you.

There are many scammers out there on the internet. I mean there were over 2 billion fake Facebook accounts in 2019 alone. This stat justifies the reason why business owners and customers should be vigilant on the internet.

On the business side, someone can have an actual profile and be an active member of society, but still end up cheating you out of your profit. As for the customer side of life, I once saw people bashing an online store. More investigation was done and the store’s physical address was a lie as well! The mall the business claimed it had a shop in wrote to the public telling them they had no such shop on their premises, and that people were being scammed! However, their reviews were packed to the rafters with people saying how great their store was.

I don’t know how scammers get away with it in your country, but I have seen first-hand how Zambian businesses and customers con each other out of money online.

Then throw in an entire pandemic meaning you would have to incorporate a middle man into your business life, a delivery company.

So how do you establish trust as a small online business?

Step 1 – Make sure you use a reputable delivery service. Doing this implies there is a “something to lose” aspect in your dealings. Using a reputable service gives you confidence over your product reaching its destination. Look at reviews, ask around… You can never be sure, but experience with reference is the best teacher and the best lesson.

Step 2- Be transparent with your customer. Give them as much detail as you can about your products. Let them know your location and be sure to be responsive and courteous in your dealings.

Step 3 – Send your customers a receipt/invoice. Extra? Well, it makes sure your customer is accountable for their spending. How does this benefit you? It doesn’t.. But your customer will think you are professional despite you selling them products from the comfort of your home. There are many apps out there that can give you a simple layout of a receipt.

Step 4 – Be a risk taker, you won’t always have customers that will send you their money for a product or service beforehand. Some will hold onto their money and you’ll just have to take that leap of faith to meet them at the pickup point or to go ahead and send the product via courier.

Step 5 – Be honest about your availability!!! I cannot stress this enough. Once someone sends you even a ngwee (cent/pence/smallest denomination of money in your country), ensure that you tell them the EXACT time you will be able to meet. Nothing worse than waiting for someone to show up and they don’t after an hour… Or at all.

Step 6 – Communicate. Communicate. COMMUNICATE. How many times did I say that word??? If you have the answer, multiply it by 3 and add another 1 for good measure. It may feel annoying and you may feel like you are being “too much” by telling your buyer or your seller your every move. But this is essential in building trust.

Step 7 – Smile. Yes I said it. Smile. Smile when you are talking to your client, smile when you make your delivery… You can hear someone smiling over the phone! A fact I have proven! Use smiling emojis…yes we wear masks now, but a smile can be seen when your eyes do that little crease at the corner and you are more pleasant when you do so. I’m not saying you’ll get one back. They might even grab the item or the money from you… But you don’t lose anything by being welcoming. You are your brand. Carry yourself with a smile!

Step 8 – Accept when you are at fault and apologize. Not much to be said here, but some of us have issues because we don’t want to be wrong. I know I don’t, and as my small business is ran with my sister–I make sure to ask her if I am being unreasonably upset. She has a more sound mind than me, so she usually calms me down and helps me know what tone to use. If you are in business on your own. Tell your family or a close friend about your situation, and let them assist you. They know you well, and they are also potential customers – so they’d be happy to help!


Okay. This has ran too long.