“Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence – only in constant improvement and constant change.” – Tom Peters
I’VE DATED MYSELF with the above quote but Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr.’s 1982 book In Search Of Excellence is considered by many to be the greatest business book of all time.
It explores the art and science of management used by several companies in the 1980s. While the ideas and characteristics of the highlighted companies are viewed today as somewhat conventional, in the ’80s they were not. Peters and Waterman were viewed as anything but conventional, and their insight inspired generations of leaders, entrepreneurs, and managers.
I would like to highlight a few of the key characteristics I believe are especially applicable to the success of a private practice or retail optical store.
Staying close to the customer. Illustrated by the success of Joe Girard, a car salesman but not just a salesman. Joe sold more new cars and trucks each year than anyone else in the US. Nearly twice as many as the individual in second place.
Joe Girard is a perfect example of someone who understood staying close to his customers. Each month, Joe would send out over 13,000 postcards to customers and prospects. This was when there was no email, only a postcard with a USPS stamp. His customers received a card at New Years, on George Washington’s birthday, for St. Patrick’s Day … every month of the year, these folks received a card. Before you write this off as a sales gimmick, you should know that Joe’s communication was out of sincere care for his customers. He used to say, “The great restaurants in this country have love and care coming out of their kitchens.” He wanted his customers to feel the same each time he sold them a car. He also believed the sale really begins after the sale. Thank you cards and follow up phone calls to make sure your patients are pleased with their purchase are essential to building loyalty.
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Productivity through people. A private practice delivers services and sells products. These two core functions require that people deliver the service and sell the products. The most important asset you have in your business are your people. They are the only asset that can appreciate instead of depreciate. Spend thousands on equipment and two years from now, that equipment will be worth less money. Hire a new employee and their value in two years will be determined entirely on how well you develop their skills and capabilities. Not understanding the importance of your staff leads to high turnover, which will kill your business. There is one core tenet that is required to work with others in the service of customers: trust. Most practices are governed by the attitude of the owner and management that often assumes the average staff member is immature, stupid and untrustworthy. They are treated in a manner that assumes they show up each morning with the intention of screwing up.
Trust goes beyond not micromanaging people. Trust means involving them in the important decisions. Sharing with them the information they need to provide the best service and products to patients and customers. Employees need to know how the entire process works. Not only what is needed for their role but how it all fits together. They also need to know and trust the values the owner outlines for the business. They may know your values, but do they trust those values with their family’s livelihood?
The only way to grow your practice is through the consistent productivity of other people. Treat people with dignity and respect through transparency. Treat them like your business partners.
Excellence is not a destination; it is a journey of continuous improvement by a team of individuals who trust each other to serve the customer.
