I recently got into a little trouble on LinkedIn.
I suggested that the worst culprits for poor customer service were small businesses - but only because they had the best opportunity to provide brilliant levels of service.
Some people didn’t get this, including one person who argued that small businesses, especially pubs, should be given more resources first, then they will improve their customer service.
I concurred (kind of). I said:
‘I agree that small businesses should get more support. I’d also like for them to pay less tax too. And I would love it if Brexit hadn’t happened. But we can only work with what we have, not what we’d like.’
And what we do have is this:
The possibility to create an emotional connection that big business can’t.
The ability to listen and adapt to customer needs more quickly.
The power to create magic moments that get you noticed, remembered and referred.
As Big Tooth Tony says: ‘It’s not the lack of resources, it’s your lack of resourcefulness that stops you.’
So, how can you be more resourceful? Here are five ways:
1. Leverage Your Current Assets
Look around. What do you already have that you’re underusing? A skill? A contact? A space? Time? Instead of wishing for more, ask: How can I get the most out of what’s already here?
2. Ask Who Can Help Me?
We often think we have to do everything alone. You don’t. Someone out there has what you need. And you probably have something they need, too. Ask yourself: Who could I collaborate with? Who has done this before? Who would love to be involved?
3. Enhance The Experience
People remember how you make them feel. Whether you’re running a business, hosting an event, or just working with a team, ask: How can I make this more welcoming, more enjoyable and more memorable?
4. Look For Partnerships
What do you have that someone else needs? What do they have that you could use? Not just in business, it applies to everything. Partnerships can create new opportunities with less effort.
5. Reframe The Challenge
Instead of saying I don’t have enough… try asking ‘How can I make this work with what I have?’ Limitations force creativity. Some of the best ideas come from restrictions. Treat challenges as a game - how can you win with the hand you’ve been dealt?
Next time you catch yourself thinking, I would do this if I had…, stop.
Flip It.
Work with what you have. Not what you’d like.
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