Main Menu
Our Other Services
Top Stories...
Should You REALLY Be In Business?
"41% of small business owners should not be running a business" according to Marketing Focus guru Barry Urquhart.
Speaking on his radio 2UE business segment recently Barry went on to say that one of the biggest issues facing retailers is service - or the lack of it.
"One of the prime reasons consumers are looking and shopping on-line is not just the convenience factor - in fact some prices on-line are more expensive when delivery is factored in - so the prime motivating factor for a high proportion of consumers is customer service." he said.
So what is 'customer service? There is an old Chinese proverb that goes - "A man without a smiling face must not open a shop."
How many times have you seen business owners with a less than welcoming face or an attitude of "hurry up I should be on my break right now"?
Over time this becomes the 'norm' for both the owner (or assistant) and the consumer, and while staff attitudes can be 'corrected' over time they need to be identified first and not all consumers are willing to complain simply because someone wasn't particularly happy on the day or helpful on their last visit - it almost seems trivial.
Of course what does happen is that the consumer will eventually respond by simply not going back to that particular pet store, groomer or veterinarian. No matter how big or small or how great the savings.
And while this story is a reminder to you - the business owner that 'customer service IS your business' secret shopper studies have revealed that in the first 90 days or so of employment - the so called 'honeymoon period' - that most employees will be bright, happy, responsive and will be doing exactly what is expected of them. They have a good work ethic, positive attitude and 'life is good' in this new environment.
So what happens in the first 90 days? - Can we as business owners - learn from this to re-think our own attitudes?
It's not an exact science of course and there are many things that come in to play here, but give a 'tick' for each of the following that you remember when starting a new job;
* New job means you are earning again
* New environment means the chance to 'shine'
* New workmates means possibility of making new friends
* New challenges are enjoyed by most people
No doubt there are many more positive aspects for all new employees... so what happens AFTER the honeymoon period?
Just as important as knowing what happens is knowing what to do about the 'post-honeymoon' period experienced by employer and employee alike.
Barry Urquhart reckons we need to be aware of the balance between ATTITUDE and APTITUDE and that over time we need to re-look and re-think how we are doing on both fronts.
In fact we'll have a full story on Attitude Vs Aptitude soon.
Any venture worth pursuing requires compromise - there is no 'perfect employee' or employer for that matter but we must keep in mind that SERVICE is our business.
Pet shop, groomer, boarding kennel, veterinary practice, dog walker. History shows us that the best businesses are those where service - and good communication - are a priority.
Remember - keep smiling, stay focussed and every now and then, take a few steps back and look at your business through the eyes of a customer or client - it can sometimes be a real eye opener!