How do you Gauge Success

[genek]

How do you gauge success?

Do you gauge it by how many sales you have a year.

Do you gauge it by how many products you produce in a year.

Do You gauge it by How successful Or how happy Your customer is with your Product.

You can sale a ton of product in any given time, You can produce a ton of product in any given time.

However to be successful, Your customers have to be happy with your product and they in turn be successful. You have to have repeat business.
You may sale a customer poor workmanship one time, but you will not do it two times. You have to deliver top quality workmanship every time. Your product has to move for customer in a timely manner. IF it sits on their shelf they are not making money and you are not making money.

to be successful your customers have to keep re-ordering. you have keep getting new customers to replace the ones that go out of business and to keep up with your expenses.

Shop Bot is a prime example of this.. They produce top quality products, they have great customer care and relationship.

You have to develope a good product, a good relationship with your customer and want to help your customer to be successful. The more your customer are successful the more your are and the more customers will come knocking at your door for your product.

It takes 100 customers to have just one to brag to someone about your work. but 1 unhappy customer will tell 100 not to use you.

Your success is based on how successful your customers are.

[Bob Eustace]

Dont know about success Eugene BUT happiness comes from having zero whinging customers!

[genek]

Bob that shows that your customers are happy with your product and that they and you are being successful. thanks for chiming in. Discussions on the shop bot forum helps all of us.

[paul_z]

I try to keep things simple:

If smile on face then success!

Paul Z

[gerryv]

Paul's got it right :)

[jTr]

One of my favorite quotes from Emerson states essentially: to know that one life has breathed easier because you existed - that is success.

Ok - perhaps too philosophical, but it does work at the root of motivation for me. It helps me to look at any given project as an enhancement for another person's world. It is especially rewarding when there is an optimal balance of function and aesthetic beauty in the item.

I am grateful for my shopbot, as it helps me "breath easier" as I labor to swiftly and accurately produce top quality products in an efficient manner.

As a custom maker providing products for designer/decorators as well as directly with clients, I've realized that a growing number of people are reliant on me to be here, producing quality products for them. It is therefore my responsibility to charge a proper amount to make a decent living and support myself and business so I may continue to be there for them.

One must treat themselves as well as they treat their clientele.

jeff

[genek]

Mr. Roltgen: You are correct. One must price their work to ensure that they will survive and make a good living, however if our customers are not happy with our product we end up losing them. From what You Just told me Your quality of work is top of the line. thanks for posting.

[chiloquinruss]

First things first, getting up in the morning is always a good sign! :D
Seriously, if going to the shop starts to wear on you, you cannot and will not be a success. From the Bridge on the River Kwai, "be happy in your work". If you are having a good time and so are those around you, success will follow. I love my bot and the really cool stuff it lets me do. Even breaking a bit or two along the way! Russ

[gundog]

$$ and repeat customers and customers calling because of word of mouth on what I make. I do no advertising excep having web site and yet I have new people calling weekly. Make the customer happy or return their money then you have no unhappy customers.

It is not always cheap to do the right thing for a customer but in your heart you will know what the right thing is. I also will not build something if I think the end product won't meet the measure of quality I expect even if a customer is willing to pay for it. The problem is in my business the boat with my products installed may be sold to someone else and if a product does not work well the word gets around.

Mike

[genek]

Mr. Miller you have the right attitude. that is how all of us should feel. Russ You are correct. we do need to enjoy what we do. Enjoying our work is half the battle. have fun and making money is even more fun...

[GeneMpls]

I restored Corvettes for 30 years- these people care about their cars.
I found the key to pleasing people was telling them what you can (or
cannot) do for them and then actually doing it. This has worked in every
business I have started. Gene

[genek]

Gene that is the best attitude towards customer relationship. Being Honest and up Front. We sometimes Take on work that we should have said no. that gets us in trouble. Again you have made your customers happy with your work. thanks for posting

[shilala]

If it puts a tear in their eye and a mile-wide smile on their face, I done good.

[bleeth]

1. If every year I can take my wife on vacation and not sweat about what shape my business will be in when I get back.
2. If most nights of the week I can fall asleep easily and stay that way till the morning.
3. If most of my jobs through the year are booked by the same clients.
4. If after the project is done and installed I am the only one critical of it.

[Bob Eustace]

1. If every year I can take my wife on vacation and not sweat about what shape my business will be in when I get back.
2. If most nights of the week I can fall asleep easily and stay that way till the morning.
3. If most of my jobs through the year are booked by the same clients.
4. If after the project is done and installed I am the only one critical of it.

Well put Dave BUT how many nights do you have trouble getting to sleep? And wait until the dreaded prostate probs start as you get older!