I really just love to make Ken think….because I always appreciate what he has to say. It is ALWAYS beneficial to the issues I am going through in my day to day business and funny….this one is no exception! I will not spoil what he says below, but what  I will say is that I totally 110% agree with him and put the practice into use everyday. I can’t help it…I am one of those people who is truly incapable of not giving an honest answer….it’s all about how you say it is all. -Julia

Topic: What is the most common question asked by your customers
 
Once again, Julia has provided me a thought provoking question.   Of course, I get the usual questions of “what size does this come in…what is the price, etc”.   But perhaps the most common question I get is”how is your business”?   I realize this is just making conversation, but it is a question I take very seriously.
 
Many people are surprised by my answer..which is almost always “room for improvement”!   Perhaps these accounts, friends, colleagues or family members are used to hearing a rehearsed reply as if I am some sort of Pavlovian dog.   My answer almost always gets immediate attention for a couple reasons.  Number one; it is a non-typical response and number two;  it’s honest.   It also allows me to speak about the mistakes I have made and how I am improving upon them. 
 
If you ask a typical sales person whose house just happens to be on fire how they are doing, they will respond with something like “you know, my house is on fire, but the warmth really feels great”!   We are conditioned as sales people to talk only about the positive and “bury” the negative.   For certain, we are not going to mention the dogs from last season, or the fact that we shipped late.   We are going to talk about the freshness in our line or how this is the best line we have ever had.  The customer is expecting this and you can almost watch their mind as it travels to visit other planets.   I have witnessed this frequently at the WSA show in booths, halls, hotels and men’s rooms.
 
I am the first to admit that there is plenty of room for improvement for Twig.   Our style, fit, quality, systems, shipping, etc. can be improved upon, and when I stop trying to improve, Twig folds the next day.   I feel the same about every vendor, store, factory, and process.   Look at Sony for example.   When the Walkman was introduced in 1985, everyone had one or some version of portable tape player.   By Sony’s own admission, they rested on their success.   We all know that Apple came in and ate Sony’s lunch.   You have to give Steve Jobs credit, he never rests, and is always looking for improvement in his products or methods.  
 
I hope Twig is 1/100,000,000 as successful as Apple with regard to drive.   Apple started as a small business by two people who knew that there was always room for improvement.   They never stop innovating, and they never stop trying to improve the process.   Last week, I bought an item at the Apple store and was surprised to see no cash wrap.   Now, each sales associate is equipped with a hand held scanner that allows one to swipe a credit card and be handed a receipt.  Efficient.   Excellent! 
 
“Good enough” is no longer good enough.   Business is too competitive and too fragile to accept the status quo.   If you and I ever bump into each other in the field, or at a show and you ask me how business is and I reply “good and getting better”, buy me a drink because today is my last day before retirement!
 
Ken