Integrity, as they say, is doing the right thing when nobody is looking.
It’s cliché, for sure, but it still rings true. Early on in my business, I had a chat with a potential client who wanted me to write a document. The lead asked how much it would be, and as part of his question he suggested a price. The price he suggested was too high, though I suppose in his mind he expected that price point.
How easy would it have been for me to quote him that inflated price? He might have even paid it, but I would have felt dirty afterwards.
I run a one-man show, so nobody is looking over my shoulder. Nobody is reviewing my books. Nobody is going to call me out for quoting a price I felt uncomfortable charging. His price was too high, and I quoted a more reasonable rate.
It was the right thing to do. And, as it turns out, the project even came in under the projected rate, so I invoiced appropriately. While the quick buck is fine, I don’t make the quick buck at the expense of the long term client.
IT comes down to integrity, and the best way to insult me is to question my integrity. Honest businesses attract other honest businesses, and those are businesses I want to work with. That’s why it’s important to be doing the right thing when nobody is looking.