Deadlines: do they matter?

A few years ago, my wife and I have decided to have our house renovated. Truth be told … she has decided and I agreed, of course. At that time, we have settled with the contractor that the time limit for the completion of that job was 40 days and the approved budget was X. Four months later the job was finally finished and the approved budget … well, let’s forget about that and keep the focus on the deadline only.

 

When applying to a university, assuming that the deadline to complete the application is this date, you better have it done on or before that date or else you are out.

 

If you are taking a 4 p.m. flight and you get there at 5 p.m. … well, it’s too late. The plane is gone.

 

Knowing that, most people finish their applications or present themselves at the air carrier counter ahead of time.

 

Consulting a dictionary, you will find that a deadline is the latest time for finishing something, or a limit that must not be passed.

 

It’s interesting to see that the same person who is always ahead of time for taking a plane does not give the same importance to a deadline in a business transaction.

 

The point is … do deadlines matter or they are just a reference as it was in the case of the renovation of my house?

 

Businesswise, deadlines do matter. For instance, when you are bidding for a tender make sure you submit your proposal at the due time, on the due date which have been notified or your offer will probably not even be considered in that process.

 

Some cultures consider extremely impolite, rude and unprofessional not to respect a deadline on a business transaction. Deadline is a must in the US. For some, the faulty part may be seen as untrustworthy and one doesn’t want to give this impression to a potential business partner. The literature describes several cases of important transactions that were not concluded or failed due to missing deadlines or related issues.

 

Whether you are applying to a university, taking a plane, buying a property or a business, selling a property or a business or closing an important deal, keep this in mind … deadlines do matter. Make sure you have all the required paperwork and all documents ready. Show up ahead of time on the due date and create the best impression on your counterparts.

 

The contractor who did the renovation in my house, busting the budget and failing the deadline never worked for us again, nor our friends. Word of mouth is very powerful.

 

At Florida Connexion, our business brokers and real estate agents can assist you in meeting the requirements in regard to deadlines, documentation and related matters to close a great deal.