“We are an innovative, positive, go-getting, switched-on, people. New Zealand has been First and Best in a long list of achievements over time – be they social, cultural or political; in sport and in all sorts of other endeavour. We are a diverse, mature, well-educated democracy that invariably boxes way above its weight. So why the hell are we in such a Fug? Mindset is a wonderful thing, when it’s fixated on growth and opportunity. But it can be destructive when it’s fixated on negativity and defeat. Let’s turn the tide. I don’t mean we should forget about the woes of this planet of ours, I mean we should look at ourselves and ask the question “what can I do to get this economy of ours growing, and so do my bit in making just a teeny bit of progress?”
This is my bit. What’s yours?
We have covered the first three things that really matter in business in New Zealand right now – Cashflow, Leadership and Prioritisation. Let’s be frank, most of you know this stuff. But are you following the principles, doing the work, trying hard? I read something this morning that touched a nerve, about working Smarter, not Harder. It had a great secondary message – How do we work Smarter? How do we know what that looks like? We can only find it by, firstly, working harder, figuring out what is smart, experimenting, failing and trying again. Then we just might know what working Smarter looks like for us.
So Focus on Customers – number 4. To follow process I will be brief, frank and maybe a little controversial:
- Customers are your life blood. Without them, or with less of them, in this market, you will die
- Figure it out yourself – if you increased sales by 10% or decreased costs by 10% which is more effective?
- How do you increase sales by 10% in this market? Take it off your competitors. FS is a saying from my old days – Fight and Scratch (there is another F at the start but won’t mention that in mixed company!) Its code for doing whatever you need to do, within your Core Values and the Law, to get sales off your competitors. Be Strategic and Smart in doing this – in other words do things your competitors aren’t
- Increase market share in these times and you will absolutely fly when the recovery happens
- Your good Salespeople should be the last people you let go when the market is crap. Even after their manager. If you don’t know who your best salespeople are, you’re in trouble
- If you do let your best salespeople go you’ve lost!
- Customer Service is one of the most misunderstood concepts around. This is not about being satisfactory, looking after them when you can, keeping in touch with them. It’s about being extraordinary! Being Different. Standing out. Being a Purple Cow. Don’t do that in this market and you’re in trouble. At the very least you are losing some customers (because someone else is being extraordinary) and then you will be in deep trouble
- Last time I talked about Prioritisation. What must be in your Top 3? Customers. Actions and strategies that are aimed at keeping current customers and gaining new ones
Keep focused, look in that mirror, do the work and keep smelling the flowers
Cheers
Phil Pickford
