Get out from the back office and spend time in your business and with your customers
When we first start our businesses we are keen as mustard to get everything spot on. We are the first ones in and the last ones to go home at night and that is because we want “to” not because we have to. Anything that is crooked, grubby or out of place gets our full attention immediately. When a customer comes in the door we almost leap out from behind the counter to give them whatever they want and we will do whatever it takes to not just meet their expectations but to exceed them anyway possible.
But over time, we start to slip and sadly it can show. As the business grows and matures, we spend more time working behind the scenes. We walk into our business with blinkers on and we stop seeing the faded carpet, the worn out signs, the grubby windows and the members of staff who haven’t ironed their shirts for the last month. Just like aging, our businesses start to look fatigued over time and it takes a “before” and “after” photo to really see how much things have deteriorated.
Now is not the time to have a worn out and faded business. The message it sends to customers is that you don’t really care about them. Maybe it didn’t matter so much over the last few years when customers were falling out of trees, but now things are changing and in my opinion it is critical.
To me, smart businesses are the ones that are investing in their business right now. They are getting the shop painted, they are making new promotional material, updating websites, getting a new logo, getting new uniforms or repainting their vehicles.
Now is the time to look like a vibrant, professional and successful business that values every single customer who walks through the door.
The greatest mistake a business can make in tough times is to stop spending on improving the business. Those businesses that look at this spending as an investment will always do well.
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