I like to channel surf. I think it's a guy thing. Nina, my wife, does not like channel surfing at all (enough about that!).
When we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, the cable service allowed for almost instantaneous channel switching. I loved seeing how quickly I could recognize what was being broadcast and then switching immediately to another channel.
The other night I saw parts of the following: The Matrix;Gladiator;Fifth Element;Men in Black; and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Madison Square Garden in 2000.
What do these all have in common? They make me feel hopeful. They provide me with a sense that the world is a good place that sometimes experiences bad things — with good usually triumphing over evil. I like that.
Now, I could go on and on about all these different entertainment choices I made — I will be watching these films and shows for the rest of my life. But what do your clients associate with the experience of having you and your company work for them? Would they want to see it in repeats? If they were channel surfing, would they tune in for the good times or to experience a horror show?
You and your people are creating a legacy when your company works with a client. Consider checking in with some of your best clients and asking whether they would like to have you and your workers in their home again. If they do not answer “Yes,” you want to find out why and then take the lessons back to your staff. After all, your company really wants to be the experience that your clients come back to over and over again!
—Paul Winans, a veteran remodeler, is a consultant with Remodelers Advantage.
