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New Direction for Your Business - But Who's Buying In?

2K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  McFarland_Lawn_Care 
#1 ·
Things need to change. Things have gotten out of control or they have shifted in the wrong direction. You are the owner of your lawn care and landscaping business and you have decided it is time to do things differently - to make some changes, take the business in a new direction.

You decide that everything - from top to bottom - needs to improve.

So you sit down and start making a list, you start crunching numbers, and you make a detailed plan on how things are going to be different (and better) from now on.

Once you have it all worked out, you decide it is time to sit your staff down and tell them that there is a new and improved sheriff in town (you) and you need them to understand where things are headed. You explain that you expect them to get on board and do things the "new way".

Once the meeting is finished you get excited. You are going to get to see your plans for change and improvement come to light right before your very eyes.

But quickly you see that things aren't as awesome as you anticipated. In fact, you might even be seeing some opposition to change. This is confusing, right? I mean, afterall, you sat down, figured out what was wrong with the business, made precise plans and procedures on how to improve the business and you even sat everyone down and told them how they needed to do things differently. So what's the problem?

First of all, human beings are usually not always excited about change in general. People get comfortable when they get used to doing things a certain way. And they are employees, so as long as their pay checks weren't bouncing each week, the old way, the comfortable way, was just fine for them.

Why don't they understand that this plan for change is what is best for the business? You told them what need to change, but wait....

Did you tell them WHY?

Did you explain that the business needs to make these changes and improvements or some of them (or maybe all of them) might not have a job very much longer? Did you explain that the changes you are laying out in front of them is what's not only necessary, but beneficial for them as well? Did you explain that if the business makes these changes and goes in this new and improved direction that it will mean more stability for them, and even better yet - more opportunity?

You sell your services to your prospects and clients. Your employees in this case are no different. Sit them down the right way - don't just tell them the "features" of the new direction - sell them on the "benefits" for them personally.

Depending on what you read and who you speak with, you will hear that either your clients or your employees are the most important people to your business. I have always felt they were equally important. Happy employees means more productivity, work being done efficiently and usually the right way. When you have happy employees, more than likely you are going to have happy customers.

Do the math....

Happy Employees + Happy Customers = Very Happy Business Owner

To read this blog post and more like it go HERE
 
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#2 ·
Great post.....I try to do a lot of reading over the slow winter months and just finished a couple books that touched on this exactly issue. Managing and keeping employees happy and efficient is it's own artwork.
 
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