Horsing Around: Is Your Business an Old Gray Mare?

I recently had the opportunity to have dinner at an old, very well known restaurant in Chicago, the Cape Cod Room in the Drake Hotel.

The Cape Cod was known as the apex of seafood restaurants in the United States.  It had classic decor, responsive service and outstanding food.  This time around, the experience was different.  Thank goodness I had a lively dining companion or the evening would have been a total disaster.  Nowadays, the  dining room decor is dated, the service extremely slow and non-responsive and the food okay at best.

What does this have to do with small business in general and your business specifically?  It is an example of what not to do.  Do not take your customer and your market position for granted.  Do not let your brand deteriorate.  Do not let your service capability and responsiveness "go south." 

The Cape Cod Room was a premium restaurant with premium prices.  It is now an average restaurant with above average prices.  At one time, it was perceived to be a value.  The experience then was extremely satisfying and customers flocked there.  Now, the experience creates a reluctance to ever return.

In your business, what are you doing, every day, to enhance the customer experience?  Due to the Internet, it is much harder to create a WOW with your customer.  You should be thinking about your key customers and how to create the WOW.  You must have a strategy to make your company “top of mind” and build the personal relationship with your customer--even in a digital world.

A branding expert I know states that your brand is only as good as your last "touch" with your customer.  Small business does not have the marketing dollars to create a major brand, but does have the ability to create a brand within its target market (niche).  Small business does have the ability to be top of mind to its customers or get a last look if you’re a contractor.

Today, competent service is expected and is not a differentiator… unless the service is poor.  The result: you get left out!   Is service and responsiveness a keystone of your business?  You have the opportunity to make sure your organization has the right people to accomplish this.  There are lots of very good people available.  So, it is your responsibility to have the right people in place who are trained with good procedures.

The business environment is difficult, but now is the time to enhance your relationship with customers.  When business improves, companies with strong relationships with customers will reap the harvest.  Sow your seeds now.  Customer service is not expensive.  It is actually less expensive than poor service.  You don't have the rework, corrections, credits, customer hand holding and most important, lost customers.

In the small business owners’ peer advisory boards I facilitate, we discuss the attitude that management must have as well as the employees they need to maximize their business in a soft economy and to soar when the market improves. 

We are always concerned about getting new customers, but now is the time to make sure you retain your existing business.  Don't give your customers the experience I recently had at the Cape Cod Room.  Don't become the Old Gray Mare, or you may get a kick in the ass.