We always use this week between Christmas and New Years to reflect on the past year and prepare for the coming. We do our big shop clean out this week, and wrap up a variety of yearly tasks. While what we're doing this week really doesn't change that much next week (we're offering the same great services and products), it's nice to have the psychological close to the 2011 and fresh start for 2012. Of course, one of the best ways to start a new year is by making some goals and resolutions. By recognizing the business climate we're all in today, our goals can function as a guide to navigating the mounting pressures so many are facing in the industry.
With this in mind, our goal for 2012 is: to continue to build lasting partnerships with our customers by addressing their needs as our own.
With this in mind, our goal for 2012 is: to continue to build lasting partnerships with our customers by addressing their needs as our own.
"to continue"
Providing great service isn't just a short-term goal for us. It's the very foundation of our business. We are going to continue doing what we've always done while actively looking for ways to improve and strengthen those areas that are weaker.
"to build"
There are good companies that exist to sell you something once without the expectation that you'll necessarily return again and again because of the great service or loyalty you feel. Most convenience stores are like this - they're there when you need them, but if you can't use them there's another store down the block. To these companies, there isn't much building involved. But we're not that kind of company. In order for us to be most effective, we aim to build understanding and trust. This enables us to find the best solution, not just the cheapest, quickest, or easiest solution. This happens over time, which helps us to create the many lasting relationships we have with our customers.
"lasting relationships"
We want our relationships to be long and diverse. Look at all the different services we offer. We're not the company that is only interested in just your big projects. Or just your calibrations. Or just your cross connection program. Or just your telemetry system. Or just your pumps. Or just your lift stations. Or just your troubleshooting. We're interested in all of it. We look at our relationships that we're building now as lasting relationships, lasting past the end of the project, the end of the warranty period, through all of your service needs, through your future projects, and fifty years into the future. When you think that far out, you can see that we're not going to put our name on any substandard work or products, because we know we'd have to answer for it down the line.
"with our customers"
Businesses have lots of relationships. We've got relationships with all sorts of contractors, cleaners, auto dealerships, insurance providers, industry associations, technical schools, professional service providers, and of course vendors and manufacturers. We work with these people every day, and we even like a whole lot of them. Our relationships with these people help make us effective. But our relationship with our customers is the most important relationship we maintain. This is an important concept for us. Even though we may like working with one manufacturer a little better than another, we use the product best suited for your needs. This differentiates us from some competitors. Have you ever felt like a salesperson was trying to make you fit their product? To use a non-industry example, this summer Josh and I went through our first timeshare sales presentation experience. It was fascinating, but something most interesting was the way the salesman tried to fit us to the timeshare. You see, the timeshare was nice but very children-orientated - there were kids everywhere with all sorts of features for kids. We don't have kids, and weren't really interesting in the kid-friendly features. Instead of recognizing this fact and that this timeshare wasn't really a good fit for us, the salesperson kept trying to fit us to the timeshare and sell us on these aspects. Not effective at all, and pretty annoying since it really felt like he just wasn't listening to us.
By building relationships with our customers and putting those relationships above any others we may have, we hope we can listen to you a whole lot better than the timeshare guy. We not looking for a customer to fit our product, and most certainly we won't try to make you fit a specific product. Our goal is to find a product that will fit your needs.
By building relationships with our customers and putting those relationships above any others we may have, we hope we can listen to you a whole lot better than the timeshare guy. We not looking for a customer to fit our product, and most certainly we won't try to make you fit a specific product. Our goal is to find a product that will fit your needs.
"by addressing their needs as our own"
A few weeks ago I wrote about how we've been picking up on the general anxiety of decreasing budgets, increased demands, and overall a greater amount of pressure on operators. As I said before, I don't have any magic bullets for the situation. I can tell you this - we ready, willing, and able to work with you. If you're willing to work with what you have, constraints often create opportunity for creative solutions. Despite the atmosphere, I'm optimistic for 2012. We're looking forward to working with you, addressing your needs (and constraints) as our own, and finding ways that work best for everyone.
So there you have it: we're going to continue to build lasting partnerships with our customers by addressing their needs as our own. Honestly, it doesn't sound all that different from what we did last year or the years before. We're just using the fresh start of a new year to renew our basic principles. Because really, aren't the best resolutions are the ones that you know you can keep because you're already doing them?
So there you have it: we're going to continue to build lasting partnerships with our customers by addressing their needs as our own. Honestly, it doesn't sound all that different from what we did last year or the years before. We're just using the fresh start of a new year to renew our basic principles. Because really, aren't the best resolutions are the ones that you know you can keep because you're already doing them?
