Your biggest competitive advantage for repeated business could be that you are likeable and pleasant to work with.
Yesterday, I walked by my old home. When I saw that the door was open, I asked the builders if I could have a peak. I thought it would be fun to see what they did with the place. I left sad not because of the renovations they did but because of their complaints.
It took less than 5 minutes for me to recall why I can’t manage more than two months of home renovation. After managing several renovations, I came to the conclusion that it’s not the constant decision making, the unexpected problems or the fear of making a mistake that drain people’s energy. It’s the constant nagging of construction workers.
I don’t want to hear how the other traded workers didn’t know what there were doing, or how they would have done it differently. Saying that doesn’t make me want to work with them. They take the fun out of the project. They made the experience painful.
Every project or task has its ups and downs. Problems will occur. Your customers will feel better if you stay positive and look eager to solve the problems. Your biggest competitive advantage for repeated business could be that you are likeable and pleasant to work with. It’s all in the attitude!
This post first appeared in Kim Vallee
