Here are a set of challenging situations small business owners might find themselves facing. How would you handle them?

Compare your solution to those of others in your class. When differences occur in the answers, what causes them?

a. You own a dress shop specializing in prom dresses. A customer brings back a prom dress the week after her high school’s prom. She swears she never wore the dress, but it seems to you that there were places where the dress shows wear or spots having been cleaned off. You have a

“No Return” policy on the receipts and posted on the wall, but the customer says she will tell all her friends you were unfair if you do not refund her money.

b. Last week one of your best employees asked to leave an hour early to take her spouse to the doctor. You said it was okay. Now another employee, who is an average but not great worker, is citing what happened last week and asking to be let go an hour early to go to “an appointment.” The employee will not tell you what it is for.

c. You need to buy office supplies. Do you go to Walmart with its visibly lower prices or the local office supply store, a small business like yours? Would it make a difference if the local office supply store bought from you?