Edition 407 – Same Opportunity – Different Outcome
The two drivers are standing outside their cars, admiring the view. Each of the vehicles is clean, polished and in the midst of a day of ferrying people around Melbourne. They each comment to the other about the other’s car, whilst remarking that their own has a smudge mark here, or needs a polish there.
As they’re chatting away, another driver sidles up and says, somewhat unfiltered “why would you spend so much money on a car, when your passengers are only in it for 30 minutes tops?” One of the first two drivers, Singh, remarks, “well, the passengers are more comfortable and we provide a higher level of service”.
The first two are standing alongside their Lexus and Genesis respectively. Old mate has rocked up in his 2004 Ford Falcon Wagon that looks like it needs a visit to the panel shop, let alone the car wash.
“Why would you care, for what you make on each trip?” replies Mr Unfiltered. Singh’s response is “let me show you my meter”.
So, as Mr Unfiltered sits in the passenger seat of the Genesis, Singh asks him about his day so far. Mr Unfiltered started at 7.00am and has racked up less than $200 in fares by 11.00am. That’s a couple of runs to Melbourne Airport out of the suburbs.
As Singh flick on his meter, it reads triple that number. He’s been on the road since 5.00am and after two more trips, he’ll be back home and taken another couple of hundred dollars for a 7 hour day on the road.
“That’s not right – that’s yesterday’s fare” calls out Mr Unfiltered.
“No, that’s just today and, anyway, I’m not showing you to justify it. I’m proving that if you present yourself better, people are prepared to pay more, and become regulars” Singh replies.
And that’s Singh for you. He’s my go-to guy in Melbourne. When I’m travelling to Melbourne, I reach out the day beforehand and lock him in to picking me up from Tullamarine, and returning me again the following afternoon. If he can’t do it, one of his colleagues in their Lexus, Genesis or Mercedes Benz will do it for him. All for about 20% more than you’d pay for a cab.
How often do two different people have the same situation presented to them, yet have polar opposite solutions?
How often can your mindset about the way you look, and how you present your business, change the end result?
Whether it’s hire cars or professional services – trades based businesses or retail – I’m often amazed at how the little things make the big differences. The attention to detail exhibited by some businesses is seen as over heightened fussiness by another. Yet, it’s that attention to detail that displays to the client how you go about your work, when they don’t otherwise understand, how you go about your work.
What’s the image you’re projecting in your business? And, is that the image that you want to be projecting, or is there a mismatch between perception and reality?
This Week’s Tip
“The mindset of the business owner is so powerful in determining the success, or otherwise, of the business..”