Small Details Matter

When dealing with an intensely competitive marketplace, the one item that holds true is that the small things matter.  Sales reps, estimators, project managers and owners are scrambling for every opportunity and percentage of profit.  This is the perfect environment to look at how you approach the customer base and fix the little details that you may have let slide for years.
          
There are two important steps to successfully doing this self-evaluation:
1. Be honest with yourself.  Blinding your eyes to your own mistakes will never produce results.
2. Be willing to change.  The list below may seem trivial but add up each small increment and you have a significant difference maker.

Here are some of the most common detail errors:

• No name or message on voicemail. (Very impersonal and rude)
• Unprofessional attire
• Amateurish presentation materials
• Poor hygiene
• Too talkative
• Off color humor
• Sexist attitudes
• Dirty vehicle
• Arriving late to meetings

         
You may not do any of these or you might do them all.  The point is to evaluate yourself and make sure. You may be shooting yourself in the foot and not even realizing it!                       
 

Columns