Three years of running my own business has taught me a lot and it has made me much more perceptive of how others run their businesses. In the last month I have experienced both the best and worst of small business and the good has inspired while the bad has been a reminder how easy it is to lose a customer and for the word to spread.

The ‘good’ was the washing machine guy who came to fix the suspension in the LG that was rattling and shaking like crazy. I was going to do it myself but with a quote of $150.00 for parts v his quote of $165.00 fully fitted I thought I’d save myself the bother. So he came, replaced the suspension, but noticed that it still shook more than was acceptable. He explained that it was the construction of the frame and that some angle brackets rivetted internally to make it stronger would make it more secure. “I’d like to take it away to my workshop’ he said.

If you’re anything like me you now see a cash register ‘ching chinging’ and the concern that once the machine has gone we are vulnerable to him finding all sorts of unneeded repairs. (Life does make you a tad cynical of people doesn’t it) ‘No’ he told me ‘no extra cost. I will just take it, strengthen it and bring it back – probably tomorrow’.

I was stunned. I was ready to shell out another $100.00 for his trouble figuring I had no choice. But I wasn’t thrilled about it. Not only did he do the job properly, but he gave it a good going over in his workshop for no cost and replaced a belt at no cost. He brought it back on time, cleaned up after himself and was a good bloke in every way

Would I recommend him?

Absolutely!! Greenwood Washer / Dryer / Dishwasher service. His name is Andy and he won’t rip you off.

Contrast.

I was doing a complete landscaping job just around the corner and got a quote on fencing from a local bloke. I should have smelt a rat when he was 30 mins late for our meeting and rang twice to tell me he was ‘just around the corner’. But his price was fair and he seemed like a decent bloke so I gave him the job.

A fence that should have taken 2 days ended up taking 9. Constant delays and excuses and lack of communication left me frustrated and wondering if it was ever going to get finished. On day 8 I ended up letting him know exactly how poor his effort was and he got the message.

Day 9 the fence was complete, but just for a touch of irony he rang me 5 mins after completion (I know because I could see him working from our home) to ask if I had ‘transferred the money yet’…

Unbeeeleeevable!!

I explained to him that the money was there 9 days ago but that it had been used to pay someone else and he would get his money when the customer paid the bill. He got narky about not being paid on time (it took 24 hrs to pass it thru) but at every step of the way he said loud and clear ‘I am not reliable’.

Let’s hope the fence stays up.

So two businesses and two very different approaches. One will never hear from me again while the other will be getting referrals for a long time to come.

When I first started my own business it was with the realisation that all you have to do to succeed is:

a) Turn up on time, be polite and treat people well

b) Do the job well and at a reasonable price

c) Go the extra mile

I’d have to say it has worked for the most part. There have been things that have gone wrong and a couple of times when I have simply got it wrong, but I haven’t gone the route of over-promising and under-delivering – a sure way of losing business every time.

Just some thoughts on a stormy winter morning as I delay heading out the door to dig some trenches in someone’s backyard…