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October 2006
Published: 10/26/2006
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When business concerns do arise, it's best not to make quick assumptions and then implement the first solution that comes to mind -- nor to address the symptoms of a problem but not the cause. Smart business leaders use every available tool at their disposal to monitor the health of the business, and take corrective action when required. At E-Myth, we believe that the most effective and efficient way to understand what is working, and what's not, is to solicit feedback from our customers, employees, and other key stakeholders and then actively respond to the findings. Surveying the business and workplace landscapes At E-Myth we actively survey people in our target market to better understand the challenges they face, and the answers to the surveys guide our marketing activities and product development strategies. |
Every business, no matter how successful, needs a way to gather information and feedback from key constituents in order to make necessary adjustments and smarter decisions.
But we're often our own worst enemies when it comes to experts. In thrall of their expertise, we bring them into our business and say, "Do your thing." We abdicate our leadership position, often compromising our vision in favor of someone else's -- someone who doesn't understand our goals and expectations for the business. And when things then go horribly awry, the result is what I call the Curse of the Experts. |
Every
growing business sometimes needs an infusion of critical expertise.
If you need to expand online, you'll need an IT expert. If
you want to increase your press exposure, you'll hire a PR
expert. If you need to maximize your return on investment,
you'll hire a qualified accountant or financial advisor.
If this sounds similar to a franchise prototype, you're right. And while that's usually the domain of fast food restaurants, hair salons, gyms, and other industries whose familiar signs dot the commercial landscape, the advantages of the franchise prototype apply to individual businesses as well. Get free from your business The goal for many small business owners is to be liberated from their business, and I suggest that the best way to make this goal a reality is to build a franchise prototype. Now, actual franchising may not be part of your vision, but if you're to achieve the ultimate reward - freedom from your business to enjoy more life - you have to behave as if it were. |
At
E-Myth Worldwide, we coach and encourage our business owner
clients to get free of their business by becoming self-sufficient,
lead-generating, client-converting, customer-satisfying machines.
How? By designing systems to get work done, and training people
to operate those systems to produce consistent results.
Bob's dad was a plumber, and Bob grew up working in his dad's business. Then one day Bob reasoned that, since he's a plumber and has lived in and observed the plumbing business all of his life, that there was no reason not to establish a business of his own. And so he did. Bob is a terrific plumber, but he found that while he could clear clogged pipes and repair broken toilets, he did not know anything about such things as how to hire and lead employees, use a financial balance sheet, or conduct marketing campaigns to attract new customers. A day came when he realized that, just as he invested his time and energy in learning his trade, he also needed to learn how to run a business. He knew that he required new skills to be an effective business owner, and I've been fortunate enough to coach him on this journey. As a first step, I introduced him to the concept of the three business personalities - entrepreneur, manager, and technician. |
"I
am so discouraged with how my business is going," sighed
Bob, a business owner. "I've got to get it straightened
out in the next few months or I am going to give up and walk
away from it!" This expression of frustration marked the
beginning of our coaching / business owner relationship.
In the U.S., "customer service" is one of those phrases that have become almost meaningless from overuse. Almost every retail store these days has a "Customer Service Center," employees who wear nametags that read, "Customer Service Associate," and upbeat company slogans that say something like, "Customer Service is our Most Important Product!" Well, if that's the case, why does the person at the "Customer Service Center" make me wait for a manager's blessing for the simplest transaction? And why can't the Customer Service Associate answer the most basic questions about the product I'm interested in buying, or even simply smile once in awhile? Yes, "customer service" is becoming a sad joke. Beyond retail stores, perhaps you've also experienced dismal customer service from delivery drivers, airline ticket counter agents, medical receptionists, taxi drivers, wholesalers, or online stores that ignore your e-mail inquiries. As a customer, you've been on the receiving end of bad service. So what are you doing to ensure that your own company is providing superior service to your own customers? |
How
can you put more "service" in customer service? |
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This exciting new opportunity will allow you to experience a powerful 40 minute telephone session with an E-Myth Coach to explore a business leadership topic of your choice! 
| Contact Us: | Email Us: | |||
| U.S.A. & Canada: 800-221-0266 |
Worldwide: +1-707-569-5757 |
Fax: 707-569-5700 |
E-Myth Essentials Staff | Customer Service |