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The
Art in Business
By
Simon Read (www.simonread.com)
Generally
speaking, business is a set of processes – of systems
and of rules. People
who run companies normally know how to organise their accounts,
process their orders and reward their staff.
What
is more difficult to learn and measure is the creative side
of business. Creativity and new ideas are the lifeblood of
any growing organisation and, in a competitive environment,
a business manager needs to be able to adapt to market changes,
react to the developments of competitors, and exploit new
opportunities as they arise.
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To be creative
is to think differently – to dream and to
have a vision of how things can be done better.
Thomas Edison is quoted as saying “I have
far more respect for the person with a single
idea who does something about it than for the
person with a thousand ideas who does nothing.”
Creativity
can also be reactive as well as proactive, and
nothing focuses the mind like a threat from an
outside source. But how can you be creative and
put your ideas into practice to advance your business?
Some
people find creativity other easier than others,
but there are many techniques that we can all
practice.
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| 1 |
Network,
network, network!
Swapping ideas with others will help you to formulate
new ideas and test the viability of your current thoughts.
However, a word of warning - be careful who you disclose
information to. Choose your confidants carefully and,
if necessary, sign a non-disclosure agreement before divulging
sensitive information. |
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| 2 |
Learn
from the experiences of others!
You can do this by reading newspapers and business journals,
listening to interviews and subscribing to relevant newsletters.
Many other people have already overcome the barriers to
growth that you may currently be facing. You can learn
from their experiences and adapt their solutions to your
own situation. There is nothing wrong with borrowing a
good idea! |
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| 3 |
Ask
advice!
Whether you talk to your spouse, business advisor, current
customers or your dentist – everyone has an opinion.
Fresh ideas can come from the most unlikely of sources
and you can achieve this by seeking the opinions of others.
As a general rule people who are not directly involved
with your business can take a more objective view and
can often come up with the best ideas. |
When
you have the right idea make sure that you test its viability
thoroughly, and then don’t be afraid to go ahead and
exploit it. There are no rules when it comes to being creative
and there is no excuse for not turning viable ideas into reality.
©Copyright
Simon Read Associates, 2004
Simon Read Associates provides business development services
hello@simonread.com
www.simonread.com
“Loyalty
– The Key to Business Success”
By
Robert Warlow of
Small Business Success
Talk
to many business people about how they approach customer service
and the majority of them will say that they are aiming to
have ‘satisfied’ customers. No! What we all should
be seeking is to have loyal customers.
Research has shown
that 65% of customers say they are loyal. You may be happy
with this but you shouldn’t! Satisfied customers are
in a state of nothing – they are neither dissatisfied
or happy; they are in between. They will tolerate you while
you are of use to them but if a better deal comes along, they’re
off.
On
the other hand, loyal customers are your friends. They will
be with you through thick and thin; they will be the first
to try out you new product; they willing give you honest feedback;
they will regularly refer business to you. This is what you
want! But how can you turn a satisfied customer into a loyal
one?
Let
Them Decide How to Do Business With You
Today
customers are a lot more sophisticated in how they want to
do business. If your product or service lends itself to be
offered via a number of different means, then give your customer
the option.
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Can
you deliver face-to-face? What about telephone services?
Could you make use of SMS texts for quick notes and
reminders? Do you have a web site through which customers
can contact you or even make orders on-line? If you
provide a variety of delivery channels which are available
to suit the customer’s needs then they are more
likely to stay with you.
Build
a Relationship
Loyalty
can only be achieved if you have a true relationship
with your customer. Aim to build rapport. Understand
who are dealing with and understand what they are looking
for. Keep in regular contact with them; you don’t
necessarily have to be selling something. Always use
their names, especially their first name if you can.
All of this will help in building a long term relationship.
Once you have this, they are less likely to walk away.
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Generate
Staff Loyalty
How
can you cultivate a loyal customer if your staff are not loyal
to the business? You must have staff who care for the job
and will do anything to protect and move the business forward.
Customers will be more loyal if they see familiar faces. A
business with a high staff turnover will find it difficult
to build a relationship with their customers.
Treat
your staff well. Reward their successes and recognise their
achievements. Hold regular training sessions so they feel
that they are learning and developing. An established training
programme will also make sure that their product knowledge
is up to date.
Seek
Out Complaints
This
sound strange but the average customer has to be encouraged
to complain! Many will keep quiet about poor service but if
they can find someone else to do their business with, they
will. Set up a clear complaints procedure so customers can
complain if they wish. Provide staff with the tools to effectively
deal with customer problems. Follow up all complaints to ensure
that they have been resolved.
Take
an Interest
Show
your customers that you are interested in their views. Run
regular surveys to find out what they think of your service,
to find out what you can do differently. You can either carry
out a survey over the telephone, or go as far as doing a mailing
to all your customers.
Taking
the trouble to contact your customers will reinforce the message
that you want their custom. But don’t forget –
take action on what you find out!
Be
a ‘Can Do’ Business
Customers
like nothing better than a business which delivers on even
the most difficult of requests. ‘Can Do’ businesses
will always have loyal customers. Train your staff to never
use words like, “Sorry but …”, “It’s
not my fault”, “It’s company policy”.
Be
a business where solutions are always looked for and problems
seen as challenges.
| Look
After The ‘Golden’ Customer |
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| The
old 80/20 is likely to apply to your business –
80% of your sales or profits are likely to come from just
20% of your customers. Work out who your top 20% is and
love them to death! Why not concentrate on turning the
remaining 80% into loyal customers? Well, the 20% have
already shown that they trust and respect you. A little
more effort with these customers will reap more business
than concentrating on the ‘maybe’s’.
By all means, run a programme to convert the ‘maybe’s’
but put more effort into the converted. |
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So,
there you have it. Some ideas and tips on how to build and
keep loyal customers. Take a critical look at your business
and put a loyalty building programme in place, which will
boost sales and profits.
©
Robert Warlow
Small Business Success
www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz
Small Business Success is a resource
dedicated to helping small business owners be more successful.
If you are looking for a regular flow of ideas and tips then
subscribe to the Small Business Success monthly e-zine. If
you wish to keep up with all the latest news in the small
business market sign up to their free monthly newsletter,
together with a weekly newsletter which provides you with
quick tips, ideas and articles.
For
more information visit www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz |
