RobMax Web SolutionsBe careful that uniqueness and service specialization doesn't put you out of business. If you become so specialized or unique there may not be enough customers to support your business. This may seem obvious but many operators seem to be unaware of the basics of marketing and business management.
What do THEY want?
A good example is the complaint of an auto repair shop owner I read on the Automotive Management Network Forums. He expressed his frustration that customers outright rejected his service quality improvements. And the changes were putting his shop at risk of failure.
The shop had attempted to provide a premium quality service in a smaller town. Trouble was that there just weren't enough customers in the area for a shop of that caliber. The local good ol' boys and farmers didn't want it.
What they wanted was quality timely work, good transparent communications, a feeling of trust, without the overhead cost of a flashy looking location. My heart went out to this guy but the sad fact was that there is a big difference between what he thought people needed and what they wanted. A simple case of the wrong product for the local market.
Do Your Research - Get The Facts
In an earlier blog posting I wrote about using uniqueness to attract customers. Although providing a service that no one else performs is a powerful business advantage, there is a danger in being too unique!
I recommend that business owners ask their customers what they want. And ask ALL your customers. Not just the people who you know will support your plans. Ask EVERYONE for their sincere, honest opinion. Get the honest facts no matter how disappointing the results. TIP: our TrustBuilder service will help you easily get unbiased feedback from your customers.
The 'Good Idea'
Author Bernard Kamorofff, in his book "Small Time Business Operator", offers these wise words: "Every person who has ever started a business, I imagine, thought he had a good idea. It's the smart person, and the rare person, who tries to find out the most important thing: do other people think it's a good idea?"