# Who Do You Take For Granted?

Source: https://dairycoach.com/who-do-you-take-for-granted/
Published: 2011-06-21
Author: Tom Wall

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During my senior year of college I spent a little more time at a local watering hole than I probably should have. Of course, this wasn’t because I enjoyed going to the bar.  As luck would have it, a few of my roommates and friends worked there nearly every night of the week.  So as any supportive friend would do, a few of us volunteered to go to the bar and keep them company.  It was during those two semesters that I learned being good friends with the bartender has its pro’s and con’s.  On the plus side, we always got the ‘roommate discount’ and often stayed until after bar close.  But on the minus side, if it was a really busy night, we had to wait until everyone else at the bar got their drinks before we got ours.  Sure, we were okay with waiting.  But back then, ten minutes with an empty glass felt like an eternity!

Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you’re considered a friend first and a customer last, you sometimes don’t get treated as either?  Ironically, it seems that the stronger the relationship is, the more comfortable and complacent we get at taking care of it.

I think we’re all guilty of doing this to some degree, aren’t we?  I know I am.  We get a little too comfortable in the friendship-side of the relationship and neglect the business-side of it.  We know that the people we have the most solid, long-standing relationships with will cut us some slack and ‘understand’ if we drop the ball.  Allowed to go unchecked over time, we end up treating our most valuable relationships like anything but!  And by no means, am I suggesting that it’s something we do on purpose.  We all face a limited amount of time to spread around, and somehow we direct more attention to the most recent, uncertain relationships instead of the most tried and true.

So how about you?  Of all the people that help keep your world turning, who do you take for granted?  Is this person one of your key managers, a steady role player, a long-time vendor, a patient customer, or maybe your significant other?

Before this week is over, muster up the courage to tell this person how much you appreciate their consistent, unwavering support.  If you’re bad at this sort of “soft stuff”, keep it simple and just say something like… “Hey [so-and-so], I probably don’t tell you this often enough, but I just wanted to say ‘Thanks’ for always being so reliable.  I know it might seem like you’re taken for granted sometimes, but I know I can always count on you to be there.  Thank you… I really appreciate it.”

Business, like life, is all about the relationships we cultivate.  Even though the well-established ones continue to grow regardless of how well you tend to them, those are the ones that truly deserve your attention. Up until now, these are the people who have always stuck with you.  The question is, are you giving them a reason to stay?