Before you can exceed your customers´ expectations, you´ve got to know what they actually expect. What are the "norms" in your business? Make a list of the 10 most likely "expectations" of your customers and how competitors meet them and then look for ways you can exceed every one. If you want to stand out from the crowd, provide your customers with a compelling and superior experience and they WILL return for more. By always going the extra mile and creating environments where exceeding expectations becomes part of your DNA, you will experience abundance at every level of your professional and personal life.
Top performers know you can´t improve what you don´t measure. If you don´t measure your daily progress, how will you know if you are doing well or poorly? Make a list of the 10 key metrics in your business and track them daily. These could include store traffic, average sales per customer, and average profit margin per sale. Post this information daily so that every employee knows the score. You´ll be amazed at the results. There´s a deep satisfaction that comes from knowing that you are consistently getting better at what you do. Continual measurable improvement is the key to personal greatness.
Bureaucracies are often unaccountable because it´s hard to determine who´s responsible. Create a matrix or table that lists every key function, process, and task, then assign every one of those to a real live person. Remember, systems are not accountable for anything. Only people can be held responsible. When people know they are responsible, they are more likely to ensure the task gets done well and in a timely fashion. By deepening your commitment to a culture of accountability you are allowing your company to become extraordinary.
Multidimensional thinking means thinking on multiple levels at the same time. Twenty-five years ago, who could have imagined that computers would have seemingly infinite applications in areas such as architecture, photography, and music? Entrepreneurs as diverse as Henry Ford and Steve Jobs have produced multidimensional products, which not only produced vast fortunes, but changed the landscape of how we live. Multidimensional thinking starts by asking "what if" and "why not" and breaking down self-imposed limitations to create business models that function on multiple levels simultaneously.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt called for all US citizens to make personal sacrifices for the greater good of the country, and in doing so united Americans with a common goal to win the war. When Lee Iacocca needed concessions from the UAW to keep Chrysler afloat, he first cut his own pay to a dollar a year. His personal example of sacrifice helped secure labor concessions and saved Chrysler from bankruptcy - one of the great American success stories. List seven things that you and your team members can visibly sacrifice without jeopardizing the quality of the service or product you deliver.
Triple bottom line is a business model that balances economic success, social engagement, and environmental sustainability. "TBL" captures an expanded spectrum of values for people, planet, and profit. It´s an ongoing process that will help your company stay focused on running a more sustainable business while demonstrating to your employees and local community you are working not just toward riches, but the greater common good.
No one knows how far the ripple effects of our decisions go, but the decision to give back and make a difference is the highest calling to which we can aspire. True success has less to do with what we accomplish for ourselves, and everything to do with what we do for others. These are the times that try men´s souls, but giving back and making a difference just might be the medicine that will turn our world around. If we all give according to our ability, the positive impact will be staggering because each of us can use our unique gifts to lift spirits, touch hearts, and become powerful agents of change in the world.
