The easiest way to grow?

Let us be honest, as much as you concentrate on your own business, you will be keeping an eye out for what others are doing. In doing this have you ever been caught scratching your head as to how a competitor got a job you are perfectly set up for and you didn’t even get a look in?

I use the term competitors, although for me I am talking about companies who offer a similar service. Every one of these companies are going to be set up differently, be offering an alternative solution, or work in a different way.

I am sure there are times when if you looked at things through the customer's eyes, you will have appreciated why they picked one of these alternative companies rather than yourself, but there are other times, you know you were the best option.

You cannot please every prospect all the time and why would you want to if you have target customers and want to be known for your niche. Just as John Lydgate said.

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.

Even so, there are times I have found out about new companies working on equipment we have been specialising in for 30 years and this is the first time they have come across this model. Then they are asking us for technical support or parts!!

Whilst every business is keen to have conversations with the right people, and simultaneously making sure theirs is the first company people think of or find, through collaborations you could be building even stronger relationships, achieving win: win situation for all involved as well as getting trusted introductions by your collaborators.

The concept of collaborating, or partnering is nothing new, but how seriously have you looked at this to achieve a strategic advantage for your business?

• Who is already working with your target customers?
• Can you increase your offerings by partnering with a complimentary business?
• Could your client benefit from having a complete “done for you” service?

Whilst there are the commercial gains by partnering up with another business, there are more benefits for operators who can outsource the project management and no longer need to coordinate multiple contractors. 

As an example, after we overhauled the engine of a fire pump set, a separate specialist attended the site to overhaul the pump. Both the engine and the pump passed their final tests, but when coupled together the set did not meet its performance test. It then fell to the operator to get this resolved. I know if we had been working with the pump company directly, we would have been able to get this situation resolved much quicker and it would have been significantly easier.

As a result, we developed our Single Point of Contact (SPC) model working alongside control and electrical experts for power generation applications. Not only are we delivering a more complete service, but it reduced costs, completion time and there are no issues for the operator to resolve.

One word of warning when partnering up, choose with care. Working with someone who does not deliver to the same standards or values will only undermine your offering, damaging your reputation in the process.

On the flip side, you could be the company others are scratching their head asking, “how did they get that opportunity” and you will be building stronger relationships and offering a more complete service to your customer and all with minimum investment.

If you can see an opportunity to work in collaboration, why not drop me a message and let’s see what we may be able to make work.