Keep on moving
Deceuninck’s Rob McGlennon discusses our inherent fear of change and why we should address it head on to grow sales.
Albert Einstein is broadly credited with exclaiming: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
Why is it that our natural disposition seems to be to resist change? It’s always been a part of our lives and yet there aren’t many of us that embrace it. We want things to be better but we fear the consequences of mixing things up and going with something new. How long have most of us been with our current bank or utilities supplier for example? It’s not quite as bad when we’re happy with the product or service we’re buying – perhaps in these cases it is genuinely a case of ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ – but quite often we’re not satisfied and we still don’t make the switch.
For those of us who are dissatisfied, we recognise that changing might make our lives easier and better but the fear of something different stops us in our tracks. We like predictability and what if it’s a case of better the devil you know? Also, even if we’re confident the new way will be better, how painful will it be to move?
My team and I speak to a lot of fabricators, and time and time again we offer a sympathetic ear to the problems they’re experiencing with their existing supplier. “They don’t listen”, “they don’t supply all the products I need”, “their deliveries are often incomplete”, “when I ring them to complain, it’s like they don’t care”.
In such a competitive marketplace, this simply isn’t good enough. Especially when there are alternatives that could transform the way you run your business. These same fabricators admit, though, that they’re worried to change in case the switch is disruptive and the end result is no better. Being open to trusting a new supplier is the first step. Letting them build on your trust is the next.
I understand whole heartedly why people would rather stick with what they know and why they fear change. However, just imagine for a moment if you did switch supplier and the move wasn’t anywhere near as bad as you were expecting and your new supplier was much better than the last. Imagine what you could do with your business if you didn’t have to factor in being let down time after time. Furthermore, imagine working with a company who not only doesn’t let you down, but who also becomes a true partner and gives you what you need to grow your business.
Deceuninck has an 80-year heritage, and in that time we have worked closely with fabricators to develop tailored solutions to help them grow.
This is a two-pronged approach. It’s partly about understanding the needs of our fabricators, listening to what they want from us and doing everything in our power to give them just that. We are fortunate to have the resources and skillset to make this happen.
It’s also about understanding the market, watching closely for the latest trends before they hit so that we have the right offering for our customers before they even know they need it. In addition to supplying the right products, we develop marketing support helps our customers and their installer customers sell.
Our partnering approach also means we work closely with companies through the switch-over period, taking a lot of the perceived hassle and expense out of the process. We build trust in the relationship through this stage so that new customers know what they can expect from us when they are up and running. Once they are up and running, our customers remain loyal because they get quality products that allow them to get ahead of the market and they get the support they need to grow their sales.
Rob McGlennon: 07818 383385.