2 Simple Ideas from a Construction Equipment Dealer
Service & Quality matter a lot
I recently worked on a market research project for a heavy construction equipment dealer. As part of the work, I both spoke with a few of their customers to better understand what pieces of their relationship with the dealer were most important.
What struck me in the conversations was that, over and over, these customers talked about a very short list of characteristics that mattered to them when working with this equipment dealer. Here are those most-important characteristics:
Customer service. To these customers, it wasn’t just fixing something that was broken, what mattered was that the dealer worked to truly understanding what that customer needed in their own very locally-focused business. What mattered to these customers was that they felt like they had a partner who would be there to support them as their business grows.
Quality. Every customer I spoke with understood that things break. They are digging dirt and moving large pieces of equipment around, after all. Break-downs and mishaps are unavoidable, they all agreed. But, over the years, customers understood that they could rely on these products from this company. That matters. A lot.
Both of these things foster trust. Sometimes we think large, multi-national companies with all their ‘scale’, don’t have an interest in paying attention to the details of every single customer out there. We think that being big means you aren’t paying attention to individual customers. But this company has earned the trust and respect of their customers precisely because they have genuinely listened to their customers and in turn have provided great products.
Regardless of size, every business worth their weight wants to understand their customers’ needs and problems so they can create quality products and services to help solve those problems.
That’s certainly why I do what I do.
I believe that lots of people are interested in becoming or growing a solopreneur business - whether it’s to replace a ‘day-job’ income or to supplement one. I also know that it can look like a big messy marketplace when you are out in the solopreneur-wild and, truth-be-told, some sort of map to get you headed in the right direction can be a big help! That’s the problem I work to solve for you with my products and services.
In case mine is one of about 100 newsletters you’re reading today, I’ll re-introduce myself: My name is Julie (at The Idea Compass) and I work with solopreneurs to help them define a wedge for their business in what may be a crowded niche.
Listening to and creating quality resources for you is my priority! In that spirit, I’ve got a couple of questions for you: What can I do to help your solopreneur venture? What problems are you trying to solve right now? What’s got you stuck?
I created The Idea Compass to help solopreneurs – like you – define your market wedge, to help you create a realistic and informed focus for your solo-venture.
Let me know what you’re thinking, I’d love to hear from you!