Page 62 - #52 English

Management
Story and Photos by Ed Arvidson

“Reality-Checking”

Your Business Fundamentals

It’s only natural that when you’ve owned your business from a vacation, and saw things with new insight, that I finally
for some time, you might begin to lose sight of some of the im- repaired the wall.
portant fundamentals that make it appealing to consumers. I’m If you own a business, you need to occasionally step-
not suggesting that you don’t care about your business, or that back and take an honest, objective look at your fundamentals.
you‘ve become lazy. Instead, what actually tends to happen is you You only have three variables that you can control to attract and
become “store blind.” When you spend substantial hours within retain customers, they are:
your store each week, you no longer see things like someone who
is visiting your business for the first time. 1. The cleanliness and attractiveness of your store.
Case in point: Years ago when I owned one of my restau- 2. The quality of the products you sell.
rants, the automatic door closer became disconnected from the 3. And, the attentiveness and friendliness of your customer
restroom door. This allowed it to swing too far, which resulted in service.
the doorknob punching a hole in the sheet rock wall. Discovering You need to be on top of these things, at all times!
this upon the daily inspection of my store, I reattached the door When it comes to your store’s appearance, start by
closer immediately, and intended to patch the hole in the wall that evaluating how your business looks when you first approach it
same day. Unfortunately, with many other things happening, I everyday. Be honest with yourself. Do the parking lot, flowerbeds,
soon forgot about the hole. and sidewalk look clean and well maintained? Does your store-
Everyday as I did my morning inspection, I would once front need cleaning or repainting? Are your signs and window
again see the hole in the wall, and promised myself that I would fix displays vivid, or have they become sun-faded? Are your awnings
it that day! While my intentions were good, it seems something faded, dirty, or torn? Ask yourself honestly, does your store’s
else would always come up, diverting my attention away from that exterior appearance attract potential customers, or make them
needed repair. Funny thing, after a week had passed, I didn’t even apprehensive about coming in?
see the hole in the wall anymore. It had simply become part of the Next, when you enter your store, what to you see? Is ev-
landscape. I had become store blind! It wasn’t until I came back erything crisp and clean looking? Are there burnt-out light bulbs
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