When we serve, we reap whether it be tending to the soil or the people. Serving is fundamental to reaping and there are guiding principles and concepts fundamental to relevant serving…
More and more people are opting to experiment with or build micro entrepreneurial businesses. Regardless of the type of business model one may engage, the micro entrepreneur is usually the owner of the business be they a gig worker, freelancer, direct seller, agent , or consultant. Therefore, success is always contingent upon the quality of the service rendered. Poor service will not attract or keep customers/clients! Impeccable service focused on customer/client satisfaction will attract and retain customers/clients and increase lifetime value! Therefore, the following is a very interesting observation; Why are far too many attempting to succeed without a focus on Customer/Client satisfaction? How is it possible that a transportation gig worker picks up passengers in a car that has not been recently cleaned or washed? How can a freelancer miss deadlines and think it is appropriate because they were simply too busy? How can a consultant expect to charge fees when they cannot be assured their service will make a difference in helping the client achieve their objectives? Why does any agent treat the transaction as being more important than the relationship?
The customer/Client has one primary objective: Satisfaction for their investment of both time and money. The product, service, or membership that you offer must consistently answer the preceding question. Assuming that you are an entrepreneur or micro entrepreneur, we assume that your product or service fills a need otherwise it is doubtful that you would waste time and effort to market something that the audience would not find to be essential to their lives. The previous thought also applies to the organization. The organization must also fill a need. People join organizations to gain access to guidance that they may need but do not readily have; the Church would be an excellent example. Some people seek organizations in an effort to serve others or help others in a manner that they could not personally achieve by themselves.
Key Thought: It is wise to remember that members, consumers, and clients are constantly making choices as to how they will invest their time and money, two of their most precious assets. When they cannot satisfactorily answer their own question; What is in this for me?… they will no longer continue to be a member or consumer.
Remember, as an entrepreneur or micro entrepreneur, you are the Owner. When individual efforts, small or large business or organizations do not meet expectations, who is responsible? Owners are always responsible!
I recently read an article about an Independent worker who was complaining about his choice of work stating that he worked 12 hours per day and that his profit after expenses, computed and averaged as an hourly wage, was unsatisfactory. Who is at fault for this lack of success? The owner is always responsible and in this case, the owner is the independent worker who chose to do what they were doing. The independent worker attempted to blame someone else for his choice of work and did not mention his proficiency in doing the work or whether the customers liked him, and the quality of the product/service rendered. It is easy to blame someone or something else vs hold oneself accountable for one’s personal performance.
Key Thoughts: I often think of the amount of gratuity that I add to what I am charged for a service that I engage. I enjoy exceeding the minimum expectation however, for me (the customer) to choose to exceed the minimum expectation relative to the gratuity, I have to be a very satisfied customer. The difference between a 10%/15% gratuity and a 25% gratuity represents a 10% to 15% increase in income earned for doing the job well. The preceding is the equivalent of a self-anointed raise on every job or task completed, every customer or client served. The average pay increase per year for the typical worker is about 4% depending upon performance and the year. I, like you, have been served by many who do not understand the relationship between the gratuity and the quality of the service rendered.
It is wise to remember that as a entrepreneur or micro entrepreneur, you are the Owner of the business/product or service being provided.
Because Owners are ultimately responsible, owners must probe the causes for lack of growth when it occurs. The fundamental objective for all workers, entrepreneurs, and micro entrepreneurs, regardless of classification, and all businesses and organizations, small or large, is to serve the Customer/Client in a manner that meets/exceeds the expectations of the Customer/Client. Because our focus is on “serving people” we hypothesize confidently: The Quality of Your $ervice Impacts the Magnitude of your $uccess
