GROWING YOUR BUSINESS: Be the best you can be

by Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

To grow your business, you have to not only be better than your competition, but you also have to be the best you can be.

No matter what your business is. Whether you are a landscaper, or a plumber, or a contractor, or you own a small business, you have to find ways to not only differentiate yourself from you competition but also be better than anyone else in your field. And yes, be better than you have ever been.

There is an old business term that I have lived by for years which is called continuous improvement. The Japanese have a term for it as well which is “Kaizen.” This is something that needs to be part of all businesses. This is the thing that is going to not only keep your customers loyal to you and your company, but also will make your customers want to brag to their family and friends about how smart they are for doing business with you.

The better way to do things can be different for every business. Well, at least there are some common things that everyone can do to be outstanding. Here are the ten things to make sure you have a good company delivering good products and services.

• Deliver a great product or service;
• Consistently deliver a great product or service;
• Have great communications. Answer your phone. Return phone calls within hours if not minutes;
• Show up when you say you are going show up;
• Do what you say you are going to do and more;
• Be consistent on your pricing;
• Always be courteous;
• In these times respect the Covid safety rules;
• Present well. Clean uniforms, clean establishments, clean trucks, and tools. And leaving the work site clean when you’re finished.
• Always follow up to make sure the customer was satisfied with your product or service.

But if you want to be a great company there’s more. Let’s assume that you have a good company. Good for you, congratulations. But now you want a great company. What do you do now?

This is where you have to be creative. Here is when you are going to have some fun.

You have to study your customers and decide what you think they will like. You have to be introspective and consider what you like when someone is providing you with a service or product. You have to ask the questions .

What will make my company memorable?”

What extra thing can I do that will get my customers talking about my company?

What can I do that will make my customers, customers for life”

Think about that for a long time. In fact, always be thinking about that. Always be looking out for a better way to do things. Come up with better ways to help your customers.

If you are a landscaper, it can be always offering an extra plant or shrub. If you are a restaurateur, it can be a special trademarked dessert that you surprise your customers with. If you are a plumber, always offer to check out all the faucets in the house to make sure they are running properly once the job you were hired for is done.

You get the picture. Do more, investing in delighting your customers, is the same as investing in your own company. It is the best self-promotion you can do for your company. And yes, the very best way to grow your business.