Running a trade business (or any business for that matter) can be likened to running a 4 x 100m relay race. When everything runs smoothly and the baton is passed from hand-to-hand seamlessly, it is a pleasure to behold. Drop the baton at some critical stage and all the good work done to date is ruined and you finish last.
Plenty of practice and focus are the best way to minimize the chances for the baton to be dropped. It’s the same in business. Focus on what needs to be done and done well, coupled with some training and systems will make your business run better and win the race against your competitors. Marketing systems hands off the the Sales system. The Sales system hands off to the Production system and then hands off to the Accounts systems. Each system needs to do its thing effectively and ensure the job is progressed smoothly to the final stage, and the money is banked.
What are you doing to improve your business systems to maximize customer satisfaction and make consistent profits?
Get it wrong and your customers are quick to share their frustrations. If your customer writes a column in the NZ Herald and is not happy, you may have a potentially fatal problem. Here is a link to such a column in the Herald recently. Thankfully she did not use names, but by not doing so has possibly helped to promote the wrongly held belief of many, that tradesmen are incompetent and out to rip you off. Link: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11408419
I suggest you take note of her article, and the comments of the 30-odd people who replied, and make it your mission to provide exceptional service to your customers and ensure the baton is not dropped.
Email me if you need help with project delivery systems that maximise customer satisfaction. andy@tradescoach.co.nz
Andy Burrows – The Trades Coach