Dan’s Surfing Snippets

As a business entity we utilize the service of other companies for many needs. Companies and organizations, large and small, contract with many other companies and sub-contractors for services and products and quite a number have these same arrangements for year after year.

 

You get used to the status quo.

 

It gets to be routine and you take it for granted that they are giving you the best possible service for the best possible price; that they know what they are talking about and that they are the most knowledgeable in their field. But that isn’t necessarily so.

 

I was recently having a conversation at a business meeting with a good friend from Brady Ware, Jim Cornett. One of the services they provide is brokering the best health insurance a company can purchase for their needs.

 

Just this past week Jim was doing his normal fact-finding for a potential new client and discovered a very simply error that will now save this new client $75,000 per year! That means that this client was unnecessarily paying $75,000 for the past three years! My point, their current provider was not doing it right for the client.

 

An attorney friend of mine Jeff Senney, with Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling, has saved countless businesses from IRS problems through the years, mainly because their current providers were not doing it right. As a CPA and attorney he is an expert in Business Tax Law.

 

People say the housing market is slow. Not according to my friend John Warner of Real Living. He thinks outside the box for both buyers and sellers alike and gets things done.

 

Mortgage problems? Sheri Smith at National City Mortgage knows how to get through the mountains of options and paperwork to get the right home mortgage to fit your needs. She also goes way beyond her competitors to help people out.

 

The question to ask yourself as an executive is “Are all my subcontractors knowledgeable and providing the best service at the best possible price?

 

You don’t always have to pay for good service. Another good friend of mine from Smith Barney, Jennifer Baker, will take a look at your portfolio and financial situation (even if not a client) and methodically and meticulously set up a plan for you whether or not you sign with her company… all for free. That alone tells me a lot about her high quality service and dedication to her clients. She takes pride in doing it right.

 

No one wants to pay taxes but having a tax accountant that really knows the Federal and Ohio Tax Code is essential. My friend Brittany McCune, CPA of Clark, Schafer, Hackett & Co. can help you get through the maze of laws and is there for the long haul. Start-up businesses are her specialty.

 

I suggest we all should periodically re-evaluate our current service and product providers to see how they compare to their competitors.

 

Kathy Lewis of Doug Kilfoyle’s State Farm office in New Carlisle, Ohio saved our Condo Association thousands when we switched over to them because of the outlandish overcharges of our previous insurance agency. It pays to check.

 

I know many caring, friendly, competent and knowledgeable business people in the Dayton-Miami Valley Area, like Elizabeth Riley of Insignia Signs, Dave Roark of Chapel Electric, Jeff Anderson of Monroe Heating and Air Conditioning, Brian Smith of Ed Smith Flowers, Donna Armentrout of the Massage Connection and Dave Dickinson of HRI Commercial Realty and many more.

 

If you need a business service or just want to get another opinion, I will be happy to recommend a quality provider. Just contact me at dan@spiritsgifts.com

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Almost every day I hear people complaining about the poor and sometimes shoddy service they are receiving out there. And frankly I am surprised.

 

It’s a known fact that the quality of service either makes or breaks a company. So I find it a no-brainer that giving excellent, timely and efficient service should be the ultimate goal of any organization.

 

But the fact of the matter is that the companies that give excellent service are too few and far between. Sure making a profit is the main reason that drives most businesses. However, it doesn’t cost any more to be pleasant and take a little time to listen to what your customer needs and what they have to say.

 

Timely service is important. People don’t want their time wasted nor do they want to feel that they are unimportant or slighted by having to unnecessarily wait.

 

A good example comes to mind. A few years ago I received a call from a business associate that the company they worked for was having a problem with their current webmaster.  Seems that they would give him items to post on their website and weeks later it still was not up. They would have to make several calls urging him to follow through and his answer always was, I am swamped and will get to it when I can.

 

Wow! I could not even imagine myself treating a customer that way. Needless to say, I got the business and they are very happy with my same-day service.

 

I would think that having less customers and give quality service is better than having too many customers and giving them all bad service. Does greed stand in the way of better judgment?

 

Fine restaurants make their reputation from the fine service and food quality they provide. People are smart and love to be treated well and know it when they are mistreated. Customers deserve great service and those companies that do so build a loyal customer base.

 

I always believe in the Golden Rule and that the customer comes first. But this philosophy set aside, no business can survive without its customer base. Therefore, if customers are so important, then why not treat them as such… with dignity, high regard and excellent service!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are looking to grow your business at a good steady pace then proper networking will certainly help you reach that goal. But building solid business relationships is key.

Here’s a great example. The other day I forwarded an email to selected business associates about a local accounting firm that was expanding into the HR market. One of my business networking associates emailed me about getting connected with the CEO of this firm. I have known the CEO for several years and have built a mutually trusting relationship. I emailed the CEO to see if he would meet with my business associate. He emailed me back that he would and they have an appointment date to discuss doing business together.

Subconsciously the trust and bonding that I have with the CEO gets transferred to the business associate through my introduction. This scenario could not and would not happen if there was not a solid business relationship between myself and the CEO.

But, it’s just not about attending a lot of networking events. You have to start by getting your face out there so that you are recognized.

Social events are also very important. Many play golf and many deals have been made on the golf course.

The Dayton Chamber of Commerce hosts many networking events and is a great resource.

It is important to meet other business people so they get to know you. Therefore, it is important to meet in more depth environment on a one-on-one basis. You can do this over lunch or a cup of coffee. It should be a place without distractions as you have a goal to achieve… getting better connected.

What you each want to do is talk a little about your history and what got you to do what you are now doing. Your aim is to have people build trust and confidence in your company, your abilities and most importantly you.

If you belong to BNI (Business Network International) then you already know what I mean. It is called a “dance card” and has to do with setting up this 1:1 meeting and communicating, in more depth than you can accomplish at a group meeting, what type of referral(s) you are looking for and visa versa.

I am not going to refer someone to a client unless they have my 100% confidence and trust. Remember… a poor referral is a negative against you.

You build trust and you find trust in others. Nevertheless, you should strive to fulfill the great expectations people have of you to keep you name in high regard.

Building relationships is important to all size companies but even more important to small size organizations because of limited budget for advertising. A good referral for a business opportunity is like gold and should be treated as such. And please keep in mind that a referral is the highest compliment that you can give or receive.

 

Seems like every day we hear about TV and radio promos, people or businesses emphasizing a “green” program or initiative.

 

I feel that these are all good for our country, our city and our state. It is good for our daily lives to be less polluted and more environmentally friendly. It is good to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It is also good for us all to enthusiastically get behind a worthy cause that has positive and motivating consequences.

 

Like many things in this world, one person alone makes little impact but collectively we can move mountains, or in this case, move it greener.

 

The daily soaring of gas prices is forcing us all to change our habits and be more cost-conscious now instead of putting it off for a future “to do” list. It is certainly getting our attention. Going Green is something we should all be embracing not only from a personal but also a business perspective. We should take this adversity and turn it into opportunity.

 

There are many things we can do to make even a little impact, like changing from incandescent to fluorescent light bulbs, quit smoking cigarettes, driving cars that get better mileage or use alternative fuels, reducing unnecessary driving and being more aware of our own environment and habits while thinking about what else we can do to help in this cause.

 

From a business standpoint we can also do our part. I hear about many initiatives by companies and government entities that are making a large impact like converting their fleets to propane, installing solar panels on the roofs of their buildings, installing wind turbines, and re-cycling garbage and waste into energy.

 

Even a small business such as ours can do its part. Our “green initiative” is to have less face-to-face meetings which means not driving to and from meetings and thereby saving on both the cost and consumption of gasoline. We accomplish this by creating a wip (work in progress) website so our clients can see the progress of their new website design 24/7, from any computer with Internet access via this link. This also saves a lot of meeting time for our clients and is less disruptive to their normal business daily routine.

 

Video conferencing is being used by the medical field, in education, by corporations and even on individual video phones to virtually bring people together without the cost, travel expense, time and gas consumption that they would normally encounter.

 

This is now the “new frontier” when it comes to invention, innovation and investment. Finding a better and cleaner way to produce energy is the new wave that can not only help us get “greener” but can also be the saving force that helps our country’s economy by producing more jobs and wealth right here in the USA.

 

Dayton has a long history when it comes to inventions. We are currently losing a lot of manufacturing businesses and jobs. What better way to boost our economy than to be at the forefront of ‘going green.’ Think about the possibilities. I’d like to hear what you are going.

 

Here’s more info:

 

http://www.treehugger.com/gogreen.php

 

http://www.forbes.com/2007/07/02/green-environment-energy-biz-cx_db_0703greenbiz_land.html

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/02/ecocities/

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR2006080301454.html

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-4063737-6851259?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=going+green&x=16&y=18