Can You Turn Your Business Into An Experience

Author and management guru Harvey Mackey frequently tells a story about a basic cab ride from Manhattan, N.Y., to LaGuardia Airport. Mackey gets into a cab and the driver says, "Hi, my name is Walter. I'm your driver, and I'm going to get you there safely, on time and in a courteous fashion." The driver then holds up a New York Times and a USA Today and asks if Mackey would like them. Then he offers Mackey a fruit basket, complete with snack foods, juices, soft drinks, etc. He then asks, "would you prefer hard rock or classical music?"
This cab driver is turning an average ride into an experience. He's taken the most mundane experience imaginable--a cab ride--and transformed it into a special experience for riders.
Customers love riding in Walter's cab. His cab ride hits their emotions, and emotions are something that no competitor can copy.
This cabby thinks differently. He stopped thinking like every other cab driver in town, and discovered what it would take to turn his boring, mundane occupation into an experience customers would always remember.
You can do that with your company. Not with mirrors, magic or miracles. Just by thinking differently. As yourself, "How can I turn my business into an experience?"
-Ron Ameln, SBM

The Reports Of Our Death...

"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." Mark Twain
The same could be said about our magazine. It is amazing the number of people I meet on a weekly basis that are convinced I'm lying when I tell them things are going well with our publication. They read the web stories about the death of print and they assume print publications can't exist in the new era of web advertising, social media, etc.
That just isn't the case, as many of my colleagues will tell you from around the country, especially for niche publications.
But the environment has certainly changed. The web, especially, has brought about new competition in the marketplace. Publishers need to be flexible, agile and willing to diversify to succeed. We're certainly not alone. The growth of the Internet has changed the playing field in numerous industries. Here are just a few:
-Travel. Remember a day when travel agents booked airline tickets and took a commission to do so. Not anymore. The travel agent our company used to use is now out of business, as is many of its cohorts.
-Insurance. Why use a neighborhood agent when you can use an online agent or company for a discounted price.
-Books. amazon.com--enough said. Have you been to your local, independent book store lately? Didn't think so.
-Couriers. Remember when you actually needed a human being to send a letter across town in 30 minutes. Now, with email, it's about three seconds.
These are just a few that come to mind. Each industry has to adapt and find a way to become successful in this new environment. It's really nothing new. Challenges are part of running a successful business. And really, what fun would it be without some challenges.
--Ron Ameln, SBM

The Dreaded Meeting....Making Them Productive

The business events I remember most from my brief experience working in corporate America are the endless daily and weekly meetings. Most were not productive. So when I became an entrepreneur, I vowed not to have them. Then I realized that was impossible.
Meetings are crucial, but how can you make them as effective as possible.
Author Patrick Lencioni, in his book, "Death by Meeting," says business owners should inject drama into their meetings to make the events more productive. For example, he believes the key to injecting drama into a meeting is being as direct as possible during the first 10 minutes of a meeting so everyone understands what is at stake.
Try injecting some drama into your next meeting and see if the results change.
--Ron Ameln, SBM

Building Value Into Your Sales

It's a story most know by now. Wal-Mart discovered that a large percentage of its purchasing agents' time was spent researching and purchasing products, which contributed only a small percentage to profits. The solution: use the Internet exclusively to purchase goods.
It became Wal-Mart's new purchasing protocol and the company was able to reduce the size of its purchasing staff dramatically.
What did this mean for the many salespeople that called on Wal-Mart? Log onto the computer and answer the questions and good luck.
If you sell commodities, or anything these days, and don't offer something of real value, buyers will need you less and less. And that's not a good thing for sales professionals out there.
No matter what your business, you need to differentiate yourself from the competition and provide the real (I can't live without it) value.
--Ron Ameln, SBM

Entrepreneurship And Vacations, Or Lack Thereof

We recently ran a column in our August edition by Sandy Washington at Commerce Bank dealing with entrepreneurs and vacations. Sandy wrote a great piece about protecting your accounts while you are gone. Great, solid advice.
But one sentence Sandy wrote stuck with me: "If you're a business owner, taking a vacation may seem like a pipe dream."
Sandy is certainly correct. Many owners I know never take vacations. "Can't leave the business," they always say.
Let me say this. If you are saying this, sell your business or shut your doors. Maybe you don't belong in the entrepreneurial club?
Why so mean? Your business must work for you. If you can't get away for a long weekend, it's not working for you. Work for someone else and get vacation time.
Get some help or advice and let someone help you build your systems and business so you can take a vacation. Especially for entrepreneurs, vacations are vital to recharging our batteries and preparing for future challenges.
-Ron Ameln, SBM

Is It Time For A Virtual Office

Inc. Magazine produced its April issue with employees working from home, coffee shops, restaurants, malls, etc. The publication made the decision to become a virtual operation, shunning its office and cubicles.
Is it time you start considering the virtual office.? Let's face it, small firms have a definite advantage when it comes to the virtual company. We are already lean and nimble and most small firm employees have become extremely flexible and productive over the years, mostly because they've had no choice.
The benefits: Cost savings (no more rent, janitorial, repairs, electricity, etc.) and increased productivity (no more idle time during rush hour and chatting with the guys about last night's game).
The downside: Clients may look down on your operation and a lack of employee interaction.
Like anything else in business, it will come down to your employees. Are they professional, motivated and dedicated enough to make it work?
As far as Inc., senior writer Max Chafkin told Folio magazine: "Nobody really hated it. I was more productive but less happy. You spend a big chunk of your life coming into the office, and it becomes a source of satisfaction."
--Ron Ameln, SBM

Can You Ask "That Question?"

A friend of mine was recently invited to a suite to watch a Cardinals baseball game. Towards the end of the game he noticed the attendant bring in a full tub of beef brisket. Knowing the food wouldn't be eaten before the end of the game, he asked the attendant, "Where does this food go at the end of the game?"
"The trash," said the attendant.
The next day my friend called up his business contact with the Cardinals and arranged a meeting with a representative from Operation Food Search.
The two talked and found a corporate sponsor to purchase two big refrigerators that now sit in the kitchen at Busch Stadium. Now, the unused food from the corporate suites goes into the refrigerator each night and Operation Food Search picks it up the next morning.
During the Cardinals first home stand, close to 7,000 meals were provided thanks to this food. With 15 home stands this year, that makes 105,000 meals.
One Person. One Question. 105,000 people fed.
This story isn't really about food. It's about being "that Guy" that asks "that Question." There are probably millions of questions out there that need to be asked each day. Asking those questions can probably help thousands and thousands of people.
Are you the person that can ask that question?
--Ron Ameln, SBM