The other day I was having lunch with Mike and we noted the extraordinary service
our server was giving us. He was attentive, friendly
and available when we needed something. As we commented on it, Mike blurted out,
“He thinks like an owner!” In contrast, I recently met with a friend who
complained that he wasn’t being “paid what I’m worth.” He noted that he hadn’t
had a raise in a “long time,” even though the company he worked for was doing
well inspite of the difficult economy. I tried to be tactful, but pointed out
that in the long run the only way to increase his income was to increase the
value of his contribution. To grow your business or raise your prices, you must
increase your perceived value in the market place. Sometimes you can do that by
education. Your customers may not know or understand the benefits they are
receiving from you. But more often, to increase your value you’ll have to change
either your product or the way you deliver it. That’s where “thinking like an
owner” comes into play. As a business owner, what should you be doing more (or
less) of? How can you improve the quality or quantity of your service? Almost
certainly, someone, somewhere, is making more than you are for doing essentially
the same job. What, precisely, do they do differently? Do they call on more
people? Do they provide some “extra” or bonus that customers appreciate? When
you think like an owner and are committed to providing slightly better service
in every transaction, you’ll make more sales and earn more money. Trust me, the
server who served us lunch got a MUCH better tip than the average server.
Expert Advice to Help You Grow Your Business: Sign Up for the Acceler8 Newsletter Today!
Give
yourself a raise by doing one thing better this week.
Kjell Andreassen