Grow Your Business by Firing Customers

-Bill Murray (in the movie "Stripes")

Sometimes the best way to grow your business is by getting rid of customers. Like Bill Murray's character in the movie, "Stripes", often we're better off if we rid ourselves of things that no longer fit. Like customers who don't really value what we do best.

One of the cardinal rules in delivering what I call "Amazing Service" is to know what your business does best and focus on that. When you combine what you do best with what your customers want most, then you know exactly what your business needs to do. This tells you what your niche is and where you should focus your resources.

Doing what you do best enables you to be the best. 

This seems simple doesn't it? But watching many companies you'd think the opposite was true. So many organizations try to be all things to all customers. Over the years many have tried and failed. Sears comes to mind. Remember the old saying: "Jack of all trades, master of none"? Don't go there with your business. Learn what you do best and stick with it. Be the master of your trade.

If your customers see you as the best at delivering what they want, they are more likely to stay with you and refer others to you. This is more likely to happen when they want what you do. And if what you do also happens to be what you do best, then you are positioned to give your customers what they want better than anyone else.

When you try to do too many things that are outside your company's strengths, you risk attracting customers who are marginal. If they want you to provide products and services that are outside your core area of expertise, then they are asking you to do something you will not and cannot do better than anyone else. This positions you to be average (or worse).

In a competitive market, average will not cut it.

Customers who are getting average service or products will leave when something better comes along. And that's a lot more likely because you're only performing at an average level. You open the doors for more competition.

Know what your company does best. Know what your customers want most. Focus your efforts where those two lists intersect. This is the only way you'll be able to consistently offer the best products and service to your customers. And they will place a higher value on what you do because it's what they want. Which means you can earn more revenue and profits for what you do.

The better you serve your customers, the more your reputation (or brand) will grow. More and more customers will find you because you become the market leader. So why spend precious time and resources serving customers who want your business to be something it's not? Fire customers who do not fit your business and spend more time with those who do. You'll all be better off!