Why Big isn’t always Beautiful.
It’s a fine balance selecting the right supplier … they need the capability and scale to handle your requirements, and you want to be treated like a valued client. So when companies of a certain size pitch for business, it’s easy to assume that the person in front of you is the one who'll do the work … right?
Wrong … in the main, they’re just the show pony. The slick sales performer who convinces you that you're in safe hands - and once they've done this, they hand you over to someone else to do the ‘grunt’ work.
But that isn’t the way it works in the Small Co world. Here, things run at a much more personal level and the business leaders are usually the ones doing the work for you.
Over recent years, the simplification of business services and the higher levels of care and attention that people seek are the underlying reasons why people are moving away from larger Enterprises.
Smaller organisations care more, because they’re not about to ruin a hard-won reputation by doing a third-rate job, plus they’re generally more competitive and easier to work with.
Conversely, large organisations have high operating costs, expensive offices, and workforces that lack motivation. As a consequence, their people are less caring and it’s usually a stretch for them to be civil, let alone friendly and approachable.
All of which leads to an outcome of dissatisfaction, dissonance, and regret.
At the outset, all businesses base their prices on the provision of a robust and excellent service - but so often it fails to meet customer expectations due to below average product delivery.
Think of a thriving restaurant owned and run by the chef patron, or a small garage operated by an experienced mechanic … they are doing the work themselves and they really care about getting in right.
They’re not sitting back and creaming off the profits, while junior members of staff, who’re doubtless doing their best, fail to cut the mustard!
The digital economy enables companies to rise from zero to hero in an incredibly short space of time, before they suddenly encounter the problem of blending scale, delivery, and customer care.
It’s why so many find themselves back at zero again ... or out of business, whilst the new kids on the blocks start on the same outward journey.
The moral of the story … research your suppliers carefully, look beneath the bonnet, and don’t be fooled by impressive first impressions!
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