Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:04 pm Post subject: Weed Trimmers, Wow Factor and The Future of Our Business
It’s time for a new string lawn trimmer, so off I go to my favorite lawn equipment store. There’s a huge selection and I’m looking at each, while waiting for a salesperson. I spot one with the Honda name. Immediately I am all but sold, based on previous experience with their products.
The salesman introduces himself and I ask his opinion of the brands available. He ask how I will use it, a few other questions and points to the Honda. Picking it up, the “feel” is very good. Great balance, the trigger is comfortable and the finish is very nice. I ask how easy it is to start [important to me,] and he replies, “It’s a Honda.”
Convinced, they took it to the back, filled it with oil and gas and brought it for me to try. One light tug and it was purring. Besides that it was very quite, half or less as loud as my previous trimmer. I headed home, looking forward to putting it to work.
As I used it, I was even more impressed. Very quite, abundant power and almost no vibration. I have a large yard and my previous trimmer took two tanks of fuel to complete. With the same size tank the Honda did the whole yard on one tank, with a bit left over.
Now I never asked for better fuel economy. It never entered my mind, but at $3.00 per gallon it was a nice surprise. I never considered my old trimmer particularly noisy, until I used this one. When I finished trimming my hands didn’t tingle, again something I really only noticed by it’s absence. Lastly when I decided to refuel, the gas cap came off effortlessly and sealed tightly, like an automotive cap.
I never noticed the old trimmer cap was hard to remove nor that it tended to leak unless very tight. None of these features could I have asked for, I did not realize they were even a problem; Until I saw much better. Now I am delighted.
The point is not one of lawn trimmers. It’s about our businesses and our clients. They may not be able to ask for better quality, but they darn well know it when they see it. How did Honda innovate so many improvements. They watched users and designed for their needs. Is just repairing the vehicle enough, or should we be innovating solutions to problems people don’t yet realize they have?
Here's what they say: If you don't have any customer complaints, you must be doing things all right."
As you know, I recently changed departments within the same company. The last full month with former management, customer pay had fallen 40% in that single month, but I don't recall any unusual number of complaints to blame it on. The customers just dissappeared.
During that same month they had an increase of new customers of 46%. The increase was soley a response to an ad campaign.
There was much fanfare over the increase, and not a word said about how or why we lost the other 40%. After all, the net numbers did show a move in the right direction.
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:19 am Post subject:
Bud wrote:
Here's what they say: If you don't have any customer complaints, you must be doing things all right."
A wise man once told me, if you aren't getting any complaints, either you aren't doing much or people don't expect a lot out of you. Seriously, I think waiting for complaints is way too little, too late. People can't complain until they see something better. That implies by the time a company realizes there is a problem, another already has a solution. Not a position I wish to market from.
Bud wrote:
As you know, I recently changed departments within the same company. The last full month with former management, customer pay had fallen 40% in that single month, but I don't recall any unusual number of complaints to blame it on. The customers just dissappeared.
During that same month they had an increase of new customers of 46%. The increase was soley a response to an ad campaign.
There was much fanfare over the increase, and not a word said about how or why we lost the other 40%. After all, the net numbers did show a move in the right direction.
So we'll worry about tomorrow when it gets here.
That often seems to be the theory, along with this will pass and it's the recession.
Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:04 am Post subject:
This is an excellent example of anticipating the need.
When a business meets its customers expectations, it is reasonable to assume you will get their repeat business. However, when you exceed their expectations, your odds are significantly higher.
I think this line of thought is in the same vein as your discussion of thibodeaux and his small hardware store trying to compete with the big chain. This is exactly where the small businessperson gets the opportunity to shine. It is the goal of the big box store to fulfill the customer's expectations - and no more (because any additional means additional expense).
Looking at what the competition is doing and determining in every small way where you can do better. Your better clients have more money than they do time. If you can make the process of doing business with you significantly less stressful than competitors, you will win their business.
Just be careful you don't become a victim of your own success and have more clients than you can service at the high level of expectation. You must have a plan to deal with success as well. (Growth!) It can be painful and sometimes expensive in the short run.
Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 774 Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:42 am Post subject:
Hi Scot,
scotbyrd wrote:
This is an excellent example of anticipating the need.
When a business meets its customers expectations, it is reasonable to assume you will get their repeat business. However, when you exceed their expectations, your odds are significantly higher.
I think this line of thought is in the same vein as your discussion of thibodeaux and his small hardware store trying to compete with the big chain. This is exactly where the small businessperson gets the opportunity to shine. It is the goal of the big box store to fulfill the customer's expectations - and no more (because any additional means additional expense).
I think often businesses concentrate on the cost side, with very little thought given to the revenue side. Containing cost is essential, but without revenue, it's all for naught. This often results in a penny-wise and dollar-foolish mentality.
scotbyrd wrote:
Looking at what the competition is doing and determining in every small way where you can do better.
The problem with watching the competition is, you are already behind the eight-ball. Always playing catch up. Rather, watch the client, anticipate and innovate. Let the competition watch you. Honda did not emulate anyone else with this product, they studied the need and innovated a solution.
scotbyrd wrote:
Your better clients have more money than they do time. If you can make the process of doing business with you significantly less stressful than competitors, you will win their business.
Great point and one normally not realized.
scotbyrd wrote:
Just be careful you don't become a victim of your own success and have more clients than you can service at the high level of expectation. You must have a plan to deal with success as well. (Growth!) It can be painful and sometimes expensive in the short run.
Anticipate. Be prepared.
Quite so! And easy to succumb to. Thanks Scot, I appreciate your insight.
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A wise man once told me, if you aren't getting any complaints, either you aren't doing much or people don't expect a lot out of you. Seriously, I think waiting for complaints is way too little, too late. People can't complain until they see something better. That implies by the time a company realizes there is a problem, another already has a solution. Not a position I wish to market from. 
