Recently I read a saying that went something like this---Many people don't move forward in their life or business because they are too busy looking backward. Pretty telling statement isn't it?
It reminded me of a BSC that I talked with a while back that told me that he didn't need anymore training and didn't need to go to conventions and workshops because he had a business that had been successful since the 60's and he saw no need to change where he was going now. If it was good enough for the forefathers it was good enough for him.
So I asked the logical question of how much revenue was he doing and he told me. My next question was, "How does that compare with what you were doing 10 years ago". The answer was astounding. His reply was that he was actually doing about 25% less than 10 years ago but didn't I realize that the economy had been terrible these last several years?
I couldn't resist the next question which was how did he explain that so many BSC's were thriving even though the economy had been less than great? And of course the reply was that his marketplace was different than any place else. Really? I wish I had a nickel for every time I have heard that statement. I hear it especially from contractors having a hard time finding and keeping employees. When I suggest some ideas that have proven to work for other BSCs in all parts of the country the answer usually goes something like "but my area is different".
You see, this BSC that I referred to above was stuck in "how we used to do it" and wasn't thinking of how it could be done differently, and better, moving forward.
What about you? Are you busy looking back at where you have been and not looking forward to where you can be? We are in a wonderful business where we can go and find prospects and convince them that we should be their service provider. We aren't a retail business where we have to hope people will come in and buy. We hold our destiny in our own hands.
We owe it to ourselves and our staff to create and execute a solid plan of moving our organizations forward profitably or we will be left behind. Most BSC's I know that have been the same size the last several years are not that way by design, they just haven't developed a sound plan for moving forward and then sticking to the plan. Employees will leave an organization that they feel is not progressive in wanting to be the leader in their market.
I remember years ago when I left my employer and started my own company, within a few months nearly all my former employees were applying for a position with us. I asked one gentlemen in particular who had been an outstanding building site supervisor for me in my previous employment why he wanted to leave my old company and join us as a new, young company. His answer was really telling. He said "Richard, even a rat deserts a sinking ship and the old company is sinking". That is not to imply he was a rat but the statement was very telling about a company not wanting to move forward. I hired him and he stayed with me 20 years before he retired.
Then we have the "yeah buts". These are the people that whenever you suggest trying a new process or product etc. will say, "yeah but, we tried that a few years ago and it didn't work". The yeah buts are all around us. They are still looking backward as a company tries to move forward. I have encountered a countless number of people in this category, even some of my clients that have to be indoctrinated into the 21st century of marketing, human resources, client relations, and training techniques needed to deal with the different cultural and generational differences in the work force that we employ.
It's fun to be nostalgic on occasion and talk about when we used the old pagers, Pantaloon paste wax, paper time sheets and the like but that is all it should be--a fun nostalgic conversation, not a longing for going backwards.
What about you? Are your 2015 goals firmly in place? Do you have a systematic program for bringing on new business and KEEPING existing business? What about your training program? Still just showing a video and sending the new recruit out to work with an "old hand" to "learn the ropes". Many times the old ropes they are learning are the wrong ropes and can eventually hang us and lose customers.
I am completing my 52nd year in this exciting business and never have I been more enthusiastic about what the future holds for us in this industry. How about you? Are you still concentrating on looking back to where you were instead of looking forward to the great opportunities that lie ahead. I certainly hope you are looking forward. The life of your business may just depend on which way you are looking. Remember the old saying--If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there or as the great American Philosopher, the former great New York Yankee catcher said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it". Which road are you on?
Till next time. Hope to see many of you in Orlando March 6 at our Selling Contract Cleaning Services one day workshop.
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