Sell quality products and send a personal message to your customers

The quality

Quality standards are de rigueur in many sectors now. Starting in the defence field with BS5750, quality standards now cover all manufacturing and most service fields under the cloak of BS9001. Many big companies will not purchase from non- BSI-accredited firms. To gain accreditation may involve overhauling your paper control and management systems over many months. Manuals and procedures have to be drawn up. In many respects Quality Assurance is sound common sense and good business practice, but paper trails can become irksome with files having to be retained for many years. Costs will be in excess of British Pounds 1,500 plus annual audits.

But you don't need an outside firm to certify your quality standards: the necessity should be obvious. I once helped a small firm launch a range of biscuits. Part of the appeal was that they were hand-made but the weight varied from 200 gm to 125 gm, which would have been alright, except that the same price was charged for all.

The personal message

Service businesses are much more personal than product providers - or they should be. Success comes from the willingness and flexibility to meet or even anticipate customer needs on an individual face-to-face basis. Tailoring a service, be it a kitchen design, a holiday, fitness course or restaurant meal, will make the customer feel wanted and special. It is the attention to detail that counts. The bow on the gift wrapping, the flowers on the back seat of a new car, sweeping up after a building job or just making the customer feel welcome.

I know one self-catering cottage owner who leaves milk in the fridge, local bread and farm eggs in the kitchen, and fresh flowers in the lounge. When you're talking of perhaps over British Pounds 400 a week rental, the cost of these little extras is irrelevant, but it sets the tone for how you approach your customers. The most powerful advertising medium is recommendation - word of mouth - where a contented customer can be a strong advocate for your business. And all at no extra charge.

For those of you engaged in a service trade, a large part of your success will come down to training: motivated and knowledgeable staff who believe both in you and what they are doing can overcome all manner of difficulties. A long time ago a US industrial psychologist discovered that people's greatest motivator was not money but self-satisfaction in doing a job well - and being appreciated by their superiors. We all need a little love now and again.

Finally, it has to be said that the distinction between a service and product provider is often blurred. The better manufacturer realises that accentuating the service provided will win a better relationship. As many manufacturers have found the last 10 years' trading exceedingly hard, the survivors have learnt to make their service more important and reduce dependence on price cutting. Small firms have had to learn that the only way to compete with bigger firms is by beating them on quality of service and individual attention.

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