Five Lessons from the Five Friends Business Summit
Didn't make it to the Summit? Find out a few of the ideas you missed. Were you there? Here a a few key ideas to remember.
20
Nov, 2016
17
Aug, 2015
Will Fear and Comfort Kill Your Business?
What if there was a way to make a 100% improvement in one of the most prevalent complaints customers have about your product and service? You would implement it in a heartbeat, right? In the [...]
12
May, 2015
You’re Fired! Common Mistakes That Lose Customers
From Randy Pennington: We fired the service that had done all of our lawn care, landscaping, tree trimming, and holiday lights for 17 years. There wasn’t one single incident that caused us to leave. It [...]
8
Sep, 2014
The Truth About Your Results
Your business, and your life are perfectly situated, organized, and operated to achieve the results you are achieving today. In short, you are exactly where you have earned the right to be. Don’t you hate [...]
19
Aug, 2014
What is a Leader’s Most Important Job?
From Larry Winget: A leaders most important job: To lead. Duh. How do you lead? Not from behind, that’s for sure. Leaders have to get out in front with their ideas, vision, energy and presence. [...]
2
Jul, 2014
Challenge Your Thinking. Focus Your Execution. Deliver Desired Results.
The walls of The Loomis Agency are adorned with pictures of dogs. There are so many photos and references to our beloved canine companions that conspiracy theorists might wonder if the company is secretly reviving [...]
29
May, 2014
Jack Be Nimble: Sure, but how?
This would have been the message if the speaker at your last business meeting presented in nursery rhymes: Jack be nimble. Jack be quick. Jack jump over The candle stick. You feel better, right? You now know what is expected of you and the definition of success. And, you have no real context for why it is important or idea about how to move forward.
17
Mar, 2014
10 Words Entrepreneurs Should Use Every Day
Jay Goltz writes a blog on small business and entrepreneurship for the New York Times. His March 10, 2014 posting was titled “10 Words Entrepreneurs Should Use With Caution.” In that piece, Goltz shared 10 [...]
24
Feb, 2014
What Political Races Can Teach Us About Standing Out in Our Marketplace
Who do you choose when there is very little difference between the choices? Do you take the time to understand the small factors that might distinguish one choice from another, or do you go with what is easy or the name that you hear the most often? There are four individuals running to represent their party for the office of state representative in the area where I live. All four seem like nice people, and all four are virtually indistinguishable in their stance on the issues. Seriously, you could copy and paste any of their individual responses onto the web site for any of their competitors, and no one would notice.
4
Jan, 2014
A Result to Remember Part II: How GE Proved that Sometimes it IS the Product
Three weeks back I wrote about my exceptional service experience at Sewell Lexus of Dallas. The theme of the post was that it was the Sewell people rather than their product that has kept me as a loyal customer for over 20 years. The premise behind that post is the same one I offered in my 2006 book, Results Rule!: Fundamentals are the minimum. Being distinctive is the difference if it adds value. I can purchase a Lexus from a number of different dealers. The quality and service of the Sewell staff makes them distinctive in a way that adds extreme value. The very nice folks that service GE kitchen appliances just reminded me that you can’t forget the first part of my premise: Fundamentals are the minimum. Because without the fundamentals, there is nothing you can do to stand out with your customers (at least not in a positive way).
23
Dec, 2013
Defining a Good Change: It is More Than Results
Every change is evaluated against the result AND the damage inflicted during its implementation. Ignore the people side of the change (feelings and perceptions), and it is only a matter of time before the desired results suffer, too. The type of change needed in today’s successful organizations is continuous. It is generated from every level, and it requires engagement and commitment from those involved. You can mandate compliance. Commitment and engagement to make change work are volunteered when you focus on more than the end result.
18
Dec, 2013
A Result to Remember: It’s Not the Product. It’s the People.
Delivering customer service – at least the way it is practiced in most companies – is easy. The customer asks you for something, and you give it to them. Building a culture that is obsessed with serving customers is hard. Carl Sewell’s family of auto dealerships is at or near the top for sales and service with the brands they represent for one simple reason: They are the best at sustaining a culture that serves customers.
27
Nov, 2013
The Missing Measure that Drives Culture Change
Culture change follows behavior and performance change not the other way around. If you buy into that premise, the behavior and performance you expect, enable, measure, reward, and hold people accountable for will become the habits that define the culture. The best organizations have clarity, alignment, and execution across each of these areas. And that leads to the question of “how do you know a change is taking place?”
23
Sep, 2013
Deliver the Best Customer Service
Don’t worry about the sale. Just take care of the customer. Give the customer the best customer service you can deliver, even if the customer isn’t buying, and eventually the sale will come.
28
Jul, 2013
Good Change – Bad Change
Don Draper, the fictional advertising guru on the television show “Mad Men” says, “Change is neither good or bad. It simply is.” Good luck convincing your team of that. We all want the change we [...]