Category Archives: Leadership

How are you welcoming your customers?

How are you welcoming your customers?

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Over the weekend, I stopped by Ace Hardware to pick up one item. Many times, that is how my shopping at the hardware store goes. I’m working on something need one item, grab it and go. That’s why they caught my attention with something a little different. When the doors opened, I was greeted by the smell of freshly popped popcorn. What a clever way of slowing people down and getting them to spend more time in their store! I was pressed for time and didn’t ask if their sales went up after they started serving popcorn, but I’d guess they did.

What are you doing in your business to create a friendly environment that drives customers to want to spend their time and money with you?

are the loud voices silencing the others

Are the loud voices drowning out everyone else?

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It was a stunning day. Clear blue skies and not a cloud anywhere. I went outside with my dog to enjoy a few minutes of the day. My large cedar tree was a brilliant green against the backdrop of the blue sky. The birds were chirping and frogs croaking. I couldn’t see them, but their chorus indicated they were many. Then my dog let out a few loud barks and the chorus stopped.

That’s the thing about a loud voice. It can drown out or silence the group. Creating balance in your organization so all the voices can be heard is an art. How are you doing at creating the conditions for all the voices to be heard?

Fifth time is a charm

Fifth Time is a Charm

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A few weeks ago, it was snowing nearly every day. And if you’ve ever driven in the snow, you know how dirty your car gets. Finally, the snow went away and the sun came out. So, I went to the car wash. As did everyone else. The line was around the corner and down the street. That length of line was likely to take 30 minutes to get through. I drove off and planned to come back later. I did come back later that day and over the next few days. It was the fifth time that the line was reasonable and I was able to get my car washed.

In business and in life, things don’t always work out the first time. Commitment and persistence is necessary to get what you want. Are you persisting?

You need to do things differently to scale

Scaling up doesn’t mean do the same thing, only more

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I used to work a business that built things. Sometimes they built facilities that had a new technology or process. They would build a small facility to test new technology or process. Once it worked, they would build the facility at scale. Many times building the exact same thing only bigger didn’t work. Some things always had to be adjusted.

And that is true in business. When growing a company, you can’t just do the same thing with more people. Things will start to break. You need to make changes as you scale to be successful. You need technology and leaders to get people focused on the right thing. Successful companies figure this out and make adjustments. Those that don’t don’t make it.

Have you thought about what you need to do differently to grow your business?

don't make assumptions. you'll be wrong

Don’t make assumptions about your customers. You’ll be wrong

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There is a store in town that has succeeded in driving away many of its customers. Rather than getting to know its customers, it would make assumptions about their ability to purchase. The thing is, these customers made significant purchases from other stores. And at times when customers made significant purchases from this store, a portion of their purchase would be stripped away to give to another customer. Over time, customers shared their stories and stopped shopping there.

It’s a pretty extreme case. But there are lessons for everyone:

  • Don’t assume to know what your customers want or what they can afford. Ask them
  • Let your customers know your offerings that are in line with what they want or need
  • If you need to allocate/ration, make sure your customers know that before they purchase. Don’t transact if you aren’t willing to fulfill your sale
  • Customers talk to each other. Make sure what they share is good

Have you taken time recently to assess how well you know what your customers want and their experience? If not, it is time to take a look!

are you stopping things that no longer make sense?

Are you ending things when you should?

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Every two years, I head over to the emissions testing center to get tested before I can register my car. It has never failed the test. Last time, I asked the person doing my test if people ever failed. The answer was not a surprise. She said rarely. With the advances in emissions equipment and gasoline formulating, emissions are way down. And the State of Washington recognized this. A very environmentally focused state, Washington decided that the test was no longer needed. So, starting next year, they will no longer require emissions tests.

It was a good lesson in revisiting what is being done and whether it still makes sense in the current environment. Do you look at what you do in your business and stop doing things that are no longer needed? If not, it is time to take a look!

change isn't always good

Are you making business decisions based on cost or do you take into account the impact on your people?

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Have you noticed all of the cranes around? It is hard not to these days. Construction is booming and buildings are being completed at a rapid pace. When the buildings are completed, businesses move in. And rents go up. So, some businesses move farther out to lower cost. And for all of the moves, the impact on the people working for the business is not normally considered.

People working in the business may have to drive farther. The business conditions may change from a vibrant business community to a non-descript business park. Or maybe the business moves into a busy downtown building from a lower key building. The changes impact the people that work there. And rarely are the working conditions considered when making the move.

When you make changes in your business, do you consider how it will impact your people? If not, why not?

how to piss your customers off for $40 per day

How to piss off your customers for $40 per day

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A business took away something highly valued by its customers in attempting to balance the budget. Customers were pissed off and barraged the business with comments about the change. The front line employees got an earful all day for weeks. All to save $40 per day.

When you lose sight of your customers over small dollar amounts to balance a budget, you have bigger problems. Don’t get me wrong, running a business requires balancing customer preferences and the cost of doing business. But taking away something your customers value will get you in trouble every time.

are you charting a new path or distracting people?

Are you charting an exciting new path or just distracting everyone?

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One morning in dance class, a woman announced she would be going the opposite direction of everyone else. The entire class was quickly moving to the right. She was on the right side of the room and started moving quickly to the left. Luckily there were no collisions. And that came at a cost.  The participants were forced to pay attention to her instead of paying attention to what they were doing.

That’s the thing about going a different direction in business. Sometimes it is absolutely the right thing to do. You are charting a new path that will bring great things. But many times, it is just a distraction that confuses everyone. The key to knowing the difference is seeing a solution that your customers will love. And that will cause them to be excited and not distracted.

what are the odds?

What are the odds?

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Sometimes the odds don’t work out the way you think they will. My gym socks are labeled for the right foot and the left foot. And while you would expect to pick up some of each when the laundry is finished, many times I pull four lefts before I find a right or vice versa. What are the odds?

The odds require a large number of instances to work. But in business, there may not be a large number of instances. There may be just a few. So, the odds don’t necessarily apply. That’s why you can’t rely on luck or the economy. You need to be good at what you do to achieve your goals this year.