“Don't open a shop unless you like to smile” – A Chinese proverb

I have been celebrating the Chinese New Year with my neighbours who run a very successful restaurant.

In China, the years don’t have a number, but each year has an animal designation. This follows a 12-year cycle and 2008 is the Year of The Rat. 

I was born in the Year of the Goat, and my neighbour, Mrs Yu tells me they apparently go well together.

Mind you a few years ago, back in the Year of the Monkey, Mrs Yu forecast that it would be a good year for me to get married. 

I remember writing in ERT Weekly that Mrs Yu had said, “Maybe you get lucky and marry Mrs Dixons' daughter!” 

I imagined Stanley Kalms spluttering in his cornflakes when he read that in ERT Weekly.

Mrs You assures me that businesses flourish during the Year of the Rat. She says, "It hard work, but we busy - we have a Chinese saying – ‘Don’t open shop unless you like to smile’ and you are always smiling at customers.  Just like me. I always smile customers even when they drunk and shouting."

I tend to only think about my business, but, of course, even a restaurant gets its share of drunks and hooligans and people who argue about their bills – just like we do occasionally.

I have now reached the age when I never argue with a customer. If a customer is at all dissatisfied we give them all their money back and tell them to keep the goods. 

Fortunately, we very rarely have any complaining customers, otherwise I would have to modify this money back policy. 

I still visit dealers who really argue with customers. It is pointless – you cannot win an argument with a customer.

When you simply smile and give them all their money back and tell them to keep the goods, the situation deflates immediately and they will end up trying to give you the money.

The Chinese are right: “Don’t open a shop unless you like to smile”.