PUNCTUALITY IS THE SOUL OF BUSINESS

PUNCTUALITY IS THE SOUL OF BUSINESS

Not long ago, I spoke at a conference in Lagos, Nigeria. I had some sessions with entrepreneurs and young business owners, and during the interactive session, a lady told me there’s a mystery she is yet to unravel at her place of business, she said she has a decent make up studio, and they are about four of them in her area (it was a students’ environment) who do the same business, but she discovered that the other three people get more patronage that she does, and their own studio is not even as “tush” as hers, yet they get more clients than she gets. She has the lights, she has the kit, she has carriage, she has the swagger, everything is dope, her set up is top notch, but she discovered that by the time she has two customers by noon, the others (her competitors) would have had about 10 customers each.

She asked me what I thought could be wrong, I told her first all, that based on the hype she gave herself and her place of business, probably her services are too expensive and customers chose to patronize the other two competitors because theirs are cheaper. Customers and clients (particularly students in this case) don’t care about your set up, all the “effizi” don’t mean anything to them, they want to cut cost, so they will go to where they spend the least to get the same value.

She said she discovered that and had to reduce her prices, even now lower than her competitors, but those competitors still get more clients than she does, at times she gets tired and sad, she locks up her shop and goes out or she goes home because she prefers to be home resting since she knows customers will not come, rather than stay in the shop knowing they will still not come.

Immediately she said that, I picked up where the problem came from; I asked her when she opens and when she closes, she wasn’t specific, she said she opens when she likes and closes when she wants. I told her that is the problem; she is not always in her shop. A prospective client who likes her set up and wants to come to her shop for makeup has probably been there about four times in the past two weeks, but didn’t meet her, she will definitely go somewhere else to get her makeup done. I said Punctuality is the soul of business, I want to leave my home and come to your makeup studio, and on second thought, I assume, this lady might not even open today, let me go to the other girl down the street, that is how things work, and you are giving yourself free negative publicity, because if say two friends are talking, and one says; I want to check out that makeup studio, the place is nice, I pass by and see her set up, the other friend will say; it’s better you don’t waste your time to go there, I’m not sure she’ll be around, she opens her shop when she likes, she doesn’t come every day, that is how word spreads around, and you’re losing clients and customers to your competitors. You have to be punctual to stay in business.

I gave her my number, and I gave her a task that she should call me and give me a feedback in another four weeks. The task was that, starting the following day, she should make sure she gets to her shop by 9am and she should be there till she closes at 6pm, no matter how she feels, she should change the perception people in the neighborhood already have about her that she is an “absentee business person”, and she should create the awareness that she is back in business. This lady called me in just over 2 weeks that things have changed, customers were now coming. During the first week, they were looking at her, like staring, she said she put her chair at the entrance of her shop, and she was greeting passersby, because I told her to create awareness that she is there. I told her to still call me at the stipulated time of 4 weeks, and when she called, she was happy, she was excited, I could feel her joy over the phone, business was moving.

I tell business people that at times when business is not moving fine, you just need a strategy; you need to change something you’re not doing right. It’s not all the time that we should connect it to spiritual things. It’s not because anybody is doing you, it’s not because there is a witch from your village, you only need to change your “Modus Operandi” (mode of operation).

So one of my topmost advices to business starters, business owners, and entrepreneurs is that you should always be punctual, let people know that you are always there. I should be able to vouch for you that you’ll always be in your place of business when I get there. To take your business to the next level, please pay attention to punctuality, always be there.

You will win.

It’s the Business Guy. ‘Lamide Adenuga.

lamidebusinessguy@gmail.com    08032454647.

 

Lamide Adenuga is an author and a Speaker who believes the right mentality can power anyone to success. He is a Business Development Consultant/Business Management Consultant, a well sought out for Conference Speaker, and a Business Coach to entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners and business starters. He has been invited to various conferences and seminars far and wide, and has addressed various groups and subgroups of business leaders, and business owners. He is also an Angel of strategy and organization.

       He is a Seasoned Trainer, Conference Speaker and a Public Relations Specialist who has written articles in various newspapers, journals and magazines. He is a Personal Effectiveness columnist in OVATION International Magazine.

He is also a Television host with his Motivational telecast, “MAKING THINGS HAPPEN” on WAP TV, DSTV Channel 262. GO TV Channel 102. Startimes Channel 116 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. 8.15am.         

lamidebusinessguy.blogspot.com

                                                        olamideadenuga.blogspot.com

                                                                                            

Facebook page – Lamide Adenuga Speaks.             Twitter – LammyMotivates

For speaking engagement bookings and enquiries;

lamidebusinessguy@gmail.com    08032454647.

 CREDITS; All images used are taken from the internet. Credit goes to all original sources. Many Thanks. Lamide Adenuga.