Blog

You probably find it interesting that there are so few companies well known for doing good business. Not just having great prices, but fantastic customer service, going over what is expected and truly making every effort to stand out from the crowd.

While there are many reasons for the lack of this passion for excellence, in my opinion it boils down to a few key reasons.

Abuse of “The customer is always right”

Business owners generally embrace the idea of treating the customer like they are always right, even when they aren't. Over time, it becomes more and more difficult to let rude customers push for more than they pay for, under appreciate going the extra mile, and occasionally refuse to pay.

As this happens for years, going the extra mile and trying to treat all customers like they are truly special can become hard. Doing just the minimum just to justify price becomes the norm.

Stress

When the founder of company is involved with day to day operations, assuming they have a moral code and actually set out to make a difference, then making sure their customers are treated fairly is a massive part of their thoughts. But as success grows and more people are hired to keep up with demand, often times the stress of wearing all the hats required to keep things going catches up to you. That passion starts to fade and you just want to keep the doors open and make payroll.

Fall out with business partners

If you have never owned a business, it's very difficult to understand how much a business becomes the extension of the owners life. When business partners are involved, generally things start out fantastic and vision for growth and passion for doing great business are in sync.

Over time, as stress, customer issues, and hard times financially or personal can cause rifts between partners. If these rifts turn into splitting the business and going separate ways, just like a divorce, it can be very difficult to maintain the passion you once had. Sometimes this gets passed onto the customer, because there is no one else to help resolve the pain.

Overcoming These Issues

Anyone who has been a business owner has experience all of these issues at some point. It’s just reality and part of being an entrepreneur. My encouragement to business owners is to think about the difference you’re making in the world, even when it’s not appreciated or understood.

The lives of your employees lives are different because of the job you are able to provide. Your customers are buying something they want or need. Even if you have a falling out with a business partner, it’s very likely there were many great times together, and you couldn’t have built the company without them.

Employees, customers and even business partners may never appreciate everything you do for them, but rest assured your peers know what you’re going through and have your back. When you need help making it through a tough time, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for help. Even if you have a completely different business than your peers, we have all gone through the same things and can help to lift you up!

So let that entrepreneurial fire burn once more. Regain passion to make a difference, do fantastic business, and put your stamp on the world!