When was the last time you looked at the doors of your business?
It isn’t just about who comes in, but how.
A new restaurant opened near my office. It has been very successful and I eat there regularly.
But the door going into the restaurant is horrendous. Opening it is off-putting.
It appears normal but opens with an obnoxious grating sound like metal tom cats fighting in an alley. The pull is hard and inconsistent.
I thought it would be soon fixed but it hasn’t because I don’t think the owners give it much thought to the first impression it creates.
Actual doors are important but so are figurative doors. These “doors” are entry points. They draw people in or keep people out. They can welcome or they can warn.
What are the doors to your business?
Your website is your online door. Is it aesthetically pleasing? Easy to navigate? Up to date? Can a visitor quickly find contact information? Does it just advertise or make it easy for visitors to take the action?
The phone is a door. Whether answered by a person or a recorded message, the phone into your business is one of your most important doors. It tells much about your professionalism and punctuality.
The way you handle service and support is another door. How easy was it for the customer to schedule the repair? Do techs arrive when promised? Are thy professional in appearance and friendly in demeanor? How do they leave the premises after they complete the work?
One of your most visible doors is social media. What image do your various platforms convey? Does your social media support or detract from your brand? Does it regularly deliver repeat fans or only occasional visitors?
Consider your office environment. It is a place customers enjoy or endure? Is it warm and tidy or cold and unkept? And the classic: if you serve coffee, how good or bad is it?
If you have vehicles with your signage, what do they suggest about your business? Are they clean and well maintained? Are drivers courteous or aggressive? Do they obey speed limits and other traffic laws?
So what now?
Gordon Hinckley said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of eternal development.” Paying attention consistently and without end is the kind of vigilance to the details and nuances of your business that keep you successful and improving. Ignoring the doors, literal and metaphorical, can be costly.
A good door makes it easy for customers to enter. A great door invites them in and sets the tone for what follows. You don’t have many actual doors to monitor, but the metaphorical doors of your business and many, and they are important.
Mark Sanborn is an acclaimed speaker, bestselling author and award winning blogger who inspires leaders at every level to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
