Monday 20 December 2010

The Right Gap - 1985 Style

Successful businesses often find a niche in an over crowded market. They ask what the customer wants, develop the idea and then offer something better.

Years ago, I joined a network club but the referrals didn’t cover my membership fees. One day the Regional Director visited. He asked me what was the average value of the business I received? “£90” I replied. “Hmm, what if it was £10,000” he asked? “Much better” I said.

We conversed a little more and concluded that one corporate customer was better than a hundred holiday makers. I researched the local corporate chauffeur market and found most competitors were just taxi firms still using fax machines!

They had poor administration and virtually no understanding of quality systems - let alone lean principles! It opened my eyes. Why on earth would a customer pay a supplier to maintain inefficiency and operate as if it were still 1985?

The next time I attended the network club I totally altered my sixty second pitch. I now represented a modern chauffeur company offering a reliable, quality service to the corporate market. With competitors thirty years behind the times, what else could I say?

Friday 3 December 2010

The Three Golden Rules

A couple sit together in the back of a chauffeur-driven car as the driver heads for their destination. For a while they don’t speak but then they become animated and continue an argument over the TV remote control. They start to accuse each other of being unfair before one turns to the driver and asks “What do you think?”

Years ago, when I first joined the private hire industry, I was lucky to have an experienced driver take me under his wing and pass on some wisdom. Little did I know about the three golden rules of conversation? He took me to one side and said “There are three things you never talk about! Stick to these and you’ll be alright: One, don’t discuss politics. Two, don’t talk about religion and three - you don’t do domestics!!”

I took on board his advice. It proved some of the best guidance I’ve ever had. Even though a lot of people who travel with me are very inquisitive about the UK economy or which political party is in power, I am always conscious never to express an opinion or be biased in any way.

When it comes to politics or religion it is pretty straight forward to be impartial. However, when it comes to who should have the TV remote control, maybe it is better to ask where we are going again?