That dreaded word - A-U-D-I-T

We were audited recently. No, not by the IRS. But our company contracts with another company to do surprise visits and evaluate our stores. They grade things like how well the store looks, displays that are correctly merchandised, wall sections that are in their proper place, not having expired products, etc. They judge the store from the customers' perspective and give us a score. A perfect score of 100 is the goal. However, we know that we will not, in most cases, achieve the 100.

Why not?

Because we've settled for less than perfect, that's why. We've decided that as a company, we don't want to deliver the best to our customers. We sent a memo to all employees outlining our new company philosophy. We are to fear the audit and the auditor. We must try to please the auditor and only the auditor. We must devote all of our time to making sure we do not displease the audit gods. We would not want to upset the auditor on their two yearly visits.

Or not.

There was no memo. There was no communication from management that said we are to kowtow to the will of the auditor. Yet there are a number of companies whose focus and drive are only to achieve a perfect score on their review. They do this at the expense of truly focusing on their customers. Yes, we say we want to have a customer focused operation. But how many of us practice that day-to-day?

Do you realize that your customers audit you every day? They give you a grade but it's based on product assortment, quality, price, employee knowledge and WIIFM . . . what's in it for me. If we realized and believed that EVERYTHING we do is about our customer all the time, customers would be beating down the doors trying to get a piece of the action.

Recognize that your customers are your best and worst auditors. Focus on them using established policies, procedures and practices and you might lose them. Focus on your customers by doing what is best for them and you might have to rewrite the policies, procedures and practices.

A = All
U = You
D = Do
I = Is for
T = Them

Go back to the beginning - It's never too late to restart

It's a safe bet to say that most of you reading this blog have played the classic Hasbro board games Monopoly or Sorry!. Both games involve starting over for one reason or another. We even have to reset our computers or other electronic devices once in a while.

Sports teams often have to go back to the basics because something is not working right. A new coach comes in and cleans house, frequently building a new foundation from which he builds his team, his way.

As kids, we learn to sit up, then crawl, and then walk. When learning a new language, we learn the basics first; common words and simple phrases. We don't start with advanced conversations.

So, in many aspects of life, it's a good idea to go back to the beginning and review those principals and practices we learned when we started our current position. It can be our job (for pay) or it can be our job in life (husband, wife, father, mother, child). Life can be running so well that we don't think we need to go back and review the ideals and goals we had in the beginning. We can be cruising along and still get hit by a blind spot. That's why they call them by that name. We don't see them coming. We forget. We lose focus.

What about this guy? He was at the top of his game. He still has the talent to remain at the top. But something has thrown him off. Way off. He was seen working with a trainer recently. Hopefully, this is an attempt to restart, to go over the basics and build from there. Go back to the beginning. It's never too late restart.