Using technology as a business tool...
Time is more valuable than money, use it wisely... |
Using technology as a business tool... Time is more valuable than money, use it wisely... |
|
The single most important issue in selling any product or service is understanding the time - money - quality equation. It has a specific relationship to every produce or service ! You must rate your product or service in terms of which of these three issues is your main selling point! If you can't understand this concept, nothing else will matter! Once you understand this relationship, you will even begin to see the importance of this equation on many issues in your personal life. Quality - Price - Time All three factors are dependent upon each other. You cannot get the highest quality, at the lowest price, in the shortest amount of time. For the sake of a debate, let us assume that the quality of our product or service is constant. A real, concrete example of the value of time. The best illustration of time is money is in the shipping business. The concept is quite simple, transport a package from point "A" to point "B". The quality of the service in this case is simply get it there in one piece, unharmed. The value of time can be illustrated very easily. Let's say I want to ship a five pound package to my Aunt Hazel in California, from my office in Pennsylvania. For less than five dollars I can get it there in about a week. For around 20 bucks, It will get there the next morning. What does this have to do with the average business person? A lot! Entire businesses, as well as entire industries, have capitalized on time as the product. Federal Express started a fast paced war which the postal service, along with U.P.S., and dozens of other carriers must contend with, if they wish to stay competitive. Fifteen minute oil changes, one hour photo processing, two hour dry cleaning, are just some of the new industries that developed by capitalizing on time as the product. In all cases you are buying the time, along with the service. As a business person, be aware of normal turnaround times for goods and services. The constant battle of time versus money is not a black and white issue, it is a series of compromises that must be dealt with on a daily basis. Once a minute
is wasted, there is no way to re-live it, As a business person, wasting time can be far more devastating than wasting money. What's worse, is that wasting time almost always directly relates to a waste of money. Time is hard to sell. Every one thinks their time is important. Whether you are a buyer or a seller, the key point is value. At $100 per hour, a professional could be a much better value than a $25 per hour professional. In many cases the more expensive professional is much more efficient, thereby saving you money in the long run. In cases where lost time is important to your business, a "cheap" consultant or repairman could do more harm than good. Be aware of time as a key factor in all business transactions. Learn the normal and customary items involved in the services you desire, and expect to pay more for better service. We can definitely apply the golden rule to this subject. For a good working relationship with the professionals around you, respect their time as you would have them respect yours. The best example of defining quality I have ever heard is based on buying a parachute. If you knew you had to jump out of an airplane, would you buy your parachute at a flea market, a cut rate department store, or a parachute specialist? While some people refuse to admit it, and others are just too price conscience to budge, the majority of people will see the meaning of quality if the question involves something that their life would depend on. Quality is the area where most salespeople stress value over price. While the
story line may change, the theme remains the same: |
||
|
||
|
|
|
