Think of businesses that you love to buy from, where you enjoy the experience and feel like you are in important customer or client. Would your business pass this test?
I recently heard of a bakery in Melbourne that makes croissants just like you’d buy in France. They bake a set number every day and have people queuing up from the early hours to buy knowing that the product is awesome and lovingly created by the bakery team.
I also heard about a florist in Sydney who provides corporates with floral arrangements that aren’t the usual standard “boring” arrangements. She does this because she is creative and passionate about flowers. Her enthusiasm for what she does is infectious and people want to buy from her business.
These businesses have a clear vision that they promote. The team understand and live the vision and are passionate about what they do. They love working in the business and it shines through both in the product and the service and experience provided to their customers or clients.
Consider two local coffee shops; both make good coffee. At one of the coffee shops the staff are surly and the service is not great. At the other, the staff are cheerful and friendly, they stop for a quick chat and there is an overall positive vibe in the coffee shop.
In addition to the attitude of the staff, the one coffee shop also has nice décor that feels friendly and welcoming, the premises appear fresh and clean and bright and there is an ambience that is missing at the other coffee shop.
Which one would you go to?
Sure, we all have bad days and days when everything seems to be conspiring against us. If you have a negative attitude or are in a bad mood, or aren’t feeling 100%, everyone around you will be affected and as the boss of your business, you have to show leadership.
The trick is to always put on a smiling face and a positive attitude irrespective of what is happening behind the scenes either in the business or in your personal life.
The survival of your business just might depend on it.
Loving your business is about making sure that you have high standards for the little things like cleanliness, tidiness, how you greet people, how you communicate, employing staff with a positive attitude and who take an interest in the people you serve.
What impression does your business make on your customers or clients? Put yourself in their shoes and consider carefully how you would feel if you were buying from your business. And then think what small things you could change to improve their experience.
