Daily Inspiration 2-25-11

"It is not the straining for great things that is

most effective; it is the doing the little things,

the common duties, a little better and better. . ."

-- Orison Swett Marden

"The success combination in business is:

Do what you do better. . . and

do more of what you do. . ."

-- David Joseph Schwartz

There's an old saying that the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, or the way to walk a thousand miles is one step in front of another. I find it interesting that as I get older, I find that it always seems to be the little things that make a major difference, or at least a number of those little things then sets you or your company apart.

There's all kinds of ways of doing a thing and that is good. I've learned that there is no right and wrong way, but there are a lot of ways and each way will have a result. I'll just cite an example to express the point: Starbuck's. It is a serious pile of little things that sets Starbuck's apart. I've drank coffee all my life since I was about 8 years old, and I'm a late bloomer to Starbuck's, just in the last four years or so, but I am amazed to watch for all those little things and how it makes the whole so much larger. I've tried some of their competition (so-called), like Peet's and others and though there are similarities in drink menu's and shop styles, that's where it ends. In my mind, Starbuck's has it hands down.

I think this applies to every business. When we pay attention to the small things that matter, what we do matters more to our customers. I have dealt a lot with truck body companies and I can see dramatic differences in the little things and how they are treated at each. It is those little things that make a big difference in what I used to purchase. I've also had a great deal of experience at auto dealerships and service departments. It is always the little things that makes the difference in which company is more or less successful. I can point so many of them out having been on both sides as an employee, manager, customer. The same thing applies to any business I deal with, or rather, continue to deal with or not.

It is the same in my own business. I want each of our team members to pay attention to the little things that will make a difference in how people respond to and relate to our products and services. We are constantly seeing something we need to do better or more of, or differently to make it better overall. I cannot imagine stopping that process, nor would I have any desire to.

I Sweat The Small Stuff. It's All Small Stuff.

Spread Some Joy Today--look for some little thing you can do for someone else today. It may turn out to be a big deal for both of you.