I bought a cempedak (like jackfruit but better) only to find out that it was not ripe after opening it. The next day, I brought it back to the fruit shop, and the boss, Mr Min, gave me a refund me right away. I was pleasantly surprised and spoke to him at length about his business. I learned three lessons. 

1. First few years of starting a business is tough. He said 10 years ago when he first started the shop, there was hardly any customers. He struggled for 3 years before his business took off. Perseverance is key because it takes time to gain customers’ trust. 

2. Be service oriented. I didn’t expect a small shop fruit seller to mention service but he is right. No matter how small a business is, service is key in achieving customers satisfaction. 

3. Treat regular customers well. According to Mr Min, if you cannot keep your regular customers, then there is little hope of getting new ones.    

Are these lessons applicable to employees working for companies? The answer is yes, it's what Crownwell is doing right now.