Note from Jan: This is part 5 of a series on managing tough times. For full benefit, I encourage you to read the articles in sequence. For your convenience, here are the links to the first four:
#1 – 4 Musts for Managing Tough Times; #2 – Hunkering Down; #3 – Using All Your Strength; #4 – Need More Strength? What About Your Vendors?
Hope you enjoy!
What about your customers? Have you asked them for help?
Depending on the customer/vendor relationship, all kinds of things can be discovered by asking:
Are there ways we could make it easier for you to work with us?
Perhaps there is an Inefficient system that – once corrected – can save both parties money. Or maybe there is an unfulfilled customer need – one you can fill – resulting in additional revenue for you, a very happy customer and a much stronger customer/vendor relationship.
So then – if you ask for help from staff and vendors – then would you be using all your strength?
Well – what about family and friends? With their “outsider” perspective, they may have a few fresh “man from mars” ideas that you haven’t considered. If you are like most of us though, you will have to work hard to resist the urge to “explain things”. But if you can keep your mouth closed and your ears and mind open – it is likely that you will come away with something of value.
Let’s see. Any other possible sources of strength?
What about all the managers and business owners who are reading this article series?
Huge amount of strength in this group.
Will you share your strength with others who are in the middle of managing tough times – people who are searching for ways to hunker down on expenses?
You can share your strength right here by telling us about an idea that has worked for you. Or a resource that has been helpful. Just use the comment box below. For clarification purposes, we ask for name and e-mail address. But they aren’t required. So if you are hesitant to share for identity reasons, feel free to respond anonymously.
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©2009 – Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc
The author gives permission to distribute copies of this article as long as it is used entirely including the information box above. Please send notification of publication title and date to jan@businessclassinc.com.
