Kim's BizBlog

One thing I've noticed in business, teeny or gargantuan, is that you have to try to predict the next big thing when it comes to your business.

The scary thing about business is that very few stick around forever.  This is especially true of small business, but think of all the larger businesses that have gone under or are currently struggling.  

Blockbuster is a great example.  Now, I've not studied Blockbuster in depth, nor have I discussed this with the few friends who work or have worked in the corporate offices, but as an outsider looking in, it is interesting to look back at their decline.  

Aside from a few marketing faux paws such as the "No Late Fees" campaign, Blockbuster seemed to be behind the competition in their own game.  While they were dominating in the walk-in video rental segment, the competition was creating a better formula.  If I recall correctly, the "No Late Fees" campaign was actually in response to the rise of Net Flix.  Not long after, they launched their own on-line rental service, but the company that should have been first, was late to the dance.  Net Flix had already branded themselves as the online rental resource.

Currently, these video kiosks such as DVD Now are everywhere.  You can't pass by one of these things anytime of day without seeing people lined up renting or returning a movie.  Makes you wonder why Blockbuster or even NetFlix didn't think of this.  Blockbuster could sure use the decrease in overhead and NetFlix knows that they're weakness is the delay in receiving movies, what a genius solution that fits everyone.

Perhaps, both companies wanted to stick to what's working now.  But, I believe this is regressive thinking.  We have to keep moving forward in our businesses and renewing our products/services with the times. 

Recently, I read an article on Arby's and how they were late to the 'budget menu' phenomenon.  They haven't been able to recover from this lag.  McDonald's is an example of always thinking forward.  With the recession, they knew that consumers would need an alternative to the $8 latte.  Their line of coffee and iced coffee drinks are now helping increase their bottom line.

I find this most difficult as a small business because it takes all we have to take care of what the consumers want today.  But, if we're not taking the time to think of what and how they'll purchase tomorrow what we're doing today, won't matter. 

Recently, a friend of mine made the leap into his business, full-time.  In the last few conversations I've had with him he's complained that no one will return his calls or e-mails.  And, if they do, it's always a week later.  "In some cases, it's me wanting to give someone business," he says. "And they still won't call me back!"

I call this small business condition, the invisible syndrome.  It's something that I thought only I suffered from until I started talking to other like-minded business owners.  After years of study, I have several theories in relation to the symptoms of this invisible condition.  Below is my hypothesis.

A. Too Small to See or Hear 

This one refers to small business owners who seek professional assistance only to be ignored by those they are trying to contract.  My background is in sales.  To me, on the rare occasions that a call is missed, it should be returned at lightening speed so that the caller doesn't have time to even notice that a call was missed at all.  After all, the first one in the door has the best chance of making the sale.

But, from legal counsel to graphic art assistance to creating product, I have been amazed at the fact that I'm the one chasing these people down in an effort to give them money.  After numerous unreturned calls, my only explanation is that I'm too small and that they would all rather fry bigger, more established fish rather than the little minnow who's hoping not be eaten by a gold fish in the pond.  

I know I'm small.  I know that very few new businesses make it.  But, what if I'm that one?  Imagine if the first attorney that Paul Allen and Bill Gates contacted never returned the call.  It's highly likely that there's some attorney sitting in the drizzling rain in Washington saying, "I can't believe I didn't return the call."

B.  People are Tired

There's no doubt that things today move at a much swifter pace than even just 10 years ago.  It becomes difficult to keep up with the day to day and before long, you're flat out tired.  

When I first started, I was determined to return every single solicitor e-mail and phone call.  These people are just doing their job and even if I didn't need the service/product they were selling, it would leave them thinking nothing but wonderful thoughts about Peekaboo Design Group.  These dreamy thoughts would then be passed on to their friends and family at kid's soccer games and cocktail parties.

This worked until I started getting real customers.  Before long, I was getting 10 solicitor calls a day.  If I was staying up all night working on my business, what sense did it make to return a solicitor's call only to tell them, 'no thanks?'  To this day, I still receive more solicitor e-mails and calls than I do from prospects.  It's incredible.  There's no person in the World nice enough to return/answer all of the calls.  So, to all those on the cold calling trail, it's nothing personal.  Trust me.

As a liaison between vendors and clients, I also receive a lot of calls from vendors who want me to present their business to my clients (between 5-10/week).  I love this because it keeps me well informed on what's out there but, again, it becomes incredibly difficult to get back with everyone.   

I think all of the above leads to incoming 'need something' overload and no one gets answered.

C. Working Harder for Less

As I say all the way through this blog, everything in this blog is just my opinion based on my experience.  That said, here's my guess on the last item that I believe leads to the Invisible Syndrome.

A few years ago, when the economy was booming, there was a ton of work to be done and few available employees to fill the need of the extra work load.  When I first started, it was almost impossible to hire anyone because very few qualified people needed a job.  Unemployment was very low.

Now, companies have trimmed their staffs in order to survive.  Even though there's less work in most cases, there are also fewer employees to divide that work among. There's little doubt that people are working harder for the same or less right now which leads to resentment and poor attitude.

Even among the small business owners who are still around, you'd think that they'd be clawing and scratching trying to survive, but instead what I'm seeing is the lack of will to go on.  Again, people are tired.

In Conclusion

I truly believe that any business owner or employee that gives 110% in customer service will soar to great heights.  People are not used to getting that type of service anymore so when someone gives it, the customer is blown away.  I actually think it's so bad right now, that you could give 85% and people would still be singing your praises.

GO GET IT!

Please note the thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are based on the experiences of the author.  The information contained in this blog is in no way meant to take the place of professional advice.  It is only meant as insight into the world of a small business owner.   As always, thank you for visiting and feel free to share your own experiences or conerns by leaving a comment.

In my last post, I mentioned people from around the country contacting me because they too, wanted to start a baby planning business.  

Let me share the feelings I had the first time this happened.  It was Spring 2007.  I came back from lunch to find a voice mail from a woman on the West Coast.  She says that she and a friend want to start a baby planning business and want to learn more about Peekaboo.

I nervously call her back.  Nope.  No franchise.  She just wants me to tell her how I operate my business so that they can start their own.  She proceeds to tell me that she and her friend have been trying to figure out how to structure this thing and finally decided to call the only baby planner they could find. 

After a brief conversation of me not telling her exactly what she needed, I hung up the phone to a plethora of feelings.

First, I thought, “This is great!  Other people are recognizing the value in a baby planning business.”   That excited me.

Then a wave of fear hit me because I now had someone nipping at my heels.  How would they structure their business?  What services would they provide?  What if they had thought of something I didn’t and their processes were better than mine?

I learned really quickly that competition is WONDERFUL!!  Nothing keeps you on your toes more.  I’d been rolling along for so long with no one to compete with.  The phone book didn’t even have a category for my business.  Now, the game had changed.  I was no longer playing solitaire.  Someone had decided to sit at the table with me.

Several months later, I did my usual Google search looking for competition.  It’s kind of like being on a desert island and wondering if someone else is on the island with you.  Anyhow, up popped the new baby planning company I’d been waiting for.  My hands trembled as I clicked on the link.

I read through their mission statement.  Huh?  I clicked on the services they offered.  What?  I read their bios.  Son of a *$%#@!!!   Right there in black and white one of the girls called herself, “ the visionary behind this brand new concept.” 

Immediately, I ran to my number one cheerleader, my husband.  “Baby, take a look at this.”  I was calm so not to taint his point of view.

He read the mission statement.  “That’s your mission statement,” he said.

He read through their services.  “These are exactly your services.  Even the surprise nursery,” he said.  “The package names are almost the same as yours and look, this whole paragraph was taken directly from your website.”

Needless to say he lost it when he got to the "visionary's" bio page.  After all, he’s struggled through the start up of this business, too.  He sees the tireless hours of work that goes into it and is also living on less than we’re used to in the hopes of it taking off.

The next morning I met with my attorney.  After comparing their site to mine, he confirmed that I had a case and offered to send a cease and desist; though he advised against this.  He said that all it would do is force them to shut down temporarily until they corrected their website.  To boot, it may serve as a motivation for them to come after me in future.  He suggested that I use this energy to create the best baby planning company in the new field.

Turns out he was right.  I shouldn’t have been worried about someone who had to replicate someone else’s work and call it their own.  They’re now out of business.  Even though, I was upset with the plagerism, I do wish them well.   

Six years later, the field of baby planning is starting to make a name for itself.  We have at least 3 others in the Dallas area now...all able to write their own mission statement!  So to them, I wish the best of success!

Please note the thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are based on the experiences of the author.  The information contained in this blog is in no way meant to take the place of professional advice.  It is only meant as insight into the world of a small business owner.   As always, thank you for visiting and feel free to share your own experiences or concerns by leaving a comment