I mean, really!......

Over the last number of months I have contacted several businesses to make enquiries about enlisting their services: Plumbers, Gardeners, Carpet Fitters, Golf Instructors, etc… the list goes on…..

I made enquires using telephone, in person, WhatsApp and online webforms….

After a while, I started noticing a pattern…. Very few, if any, responded to me….Or they would respond once, but not follow up.  

Although I found this frustrating and confusing, thoughts started to swirl around my mind:

• “Don’t they want my custom?”
• “They must not need my business”
• “Maybe they’re too busy to respond?”
• “They must be losing out on a fortune with all these missed enquiries”
•  “what sort of way is this to run a business”

Even with my bank (a large multinational) – They promised to call me back on an issue the following week – I’m still waiting for that call 2 weeks on!…. The funny thing is - when I was on the call with them, I just knew they weren’t going to call me back, they never even confirmed my phone number.

This attitude to running a business is so foreign to me.  If I ran my own business like that, I’d be bankrupt.

It got me thinking….

• Do you strive for excellence?
• How do you treat your customers/clients?
• Are you freely available and always respond to clients in a timely manner?
• If you are busy, do you give them a courtesy call/email/text to tell them you received their enquiry and you’ll respond in full soon?
• Do you strive to provide excellent customer service?
• Are you losing missed business opportunities?

In my business as a financial adviser, the customer/client has choice to take advice from many of my competitors. However, we all have the same products really, so the only differential is the quality of service and advice.   This is where I try to excel – by providing superior and excellent service.

My Dad once told me that he had heard about this study. The study was based on people on their death beds, and what their biggest regrets were in life.  The upshot was that one of the biggest regrets people had in life, was the fact that they didn’t take a risk, they didn’t follow their dreams, they didn’t start that business, they didn’t buy that dream home, etc….

It really stuck in my mind, and I always think forward to a time when I’m on the road out… I REALLY don’t want to look back at my life and think - I had a MEDIOCRE/AVERAGE life.  I want excellence and greatness in every part of my life.  (I have a lot to work on)

Excellence starts with a mindset, I’d encourage you to be excellent at the little things: 

• Be excellent at boiling an egg!
• Be excellent at taking the bins out on time each week!
• Be that person that takes the shopping trolley all the way back to the correct area, and don’t leave it beside your car!

I know the above examples are trivial, but the point is - strive to be excellent in EVERY area of your life….

I remember my uncle fondly recollecting one of his school friends and how he had achieved so much in later life – he would say “the guy was just sheer class, everything he did was just quality” - I'd love for someone to think that of me....

How do you think others perceive you?

Have an excellence Mindset - Make a choice to be excellent in everything you do.