18 Years
That’s the amount of time it takes a child to reach (theoretical) adulthood and how long it takes for truly fine scotch whiskey to mature. Evidently at least that much time also passes before some businesses pause to ask their clients how well they’re doing!
As our business embarks on a comprehensive journey to reach out to our clients and understand their expectations more deeply, we’re asking great questions and listening carefully to the answers we’re given. One of our most dedicated managers in West Central Florida recently met with a client to explore her expectations on a property that we’ve only been serving for about five months. The client, who is a “strictly business” sort of person, remarked for starters: “In 18 years, no contractor has ever asked me to tell them how they’re doing!” She was delighted to be asked, however, and a fountain of useful information flowed regarding how we could fulfill her needs and expectations.
I suppose that our human nature lends itself to developing habits and routines that are hard to break. Once we’ve been doing something for awhile and become comfortable, it becomes “second nature”. That can be expressed as a well-honed skill in some cases, but often leads to thoughtless activity if we’re not careful. Familiarity breeds complacency.
When we allow our inquisitive nature to seek new information, especially when a situation seems “status quo”, we discover new insights and inspiration for the work we do. And that enables us to serve clients at a higher level. The beauty of this capacity is that you don’t have to wait 18 years to put it to work! Just ask the questions.
As our business embarks on a comprehensive journey to reach out to our clients and understand their expectations more deeply, we’re asking great questions and listening carefully to the answers we’re given. One of our most dedicated managers in West Central Florida recently met with a client to explore her expectations on a property that we’ve only been serving for about five months. The client, who is a “strictly business” sort of person, remarked for starters: “In 18 years, no contractor has ever asked me to tell them how they’re doing!” She was delighted to be asked, however, and a fountain of useful information flowed regarding how we could fulfill her needs and expectations.
I suppose that our human nature lends itself to developing habits and routines that are hard to break. Once we’ve been doing something for awhile and become comfortable, it becomes “second nature”. That can be expressed as a well-honed skill in some cases, but often leads to thoughtless activity if we’re not careful. Familiarity breeds complacency.
When we allow our inquisitive nature to seek new information, especially when a situation seems “status quo”, we discover new insights and inspiration for the work we do. And that enables us to serve clients at a higher level. The beauty of this capacity is that you don’t have to wait 18 years to put it to work! Just ask the questions.
