Checking Virtual Presence, Snow Woes, Saving 15 Hours, Separating You from the Competition

“From the backstabbing co-worker to the meddling sister-in-law, you are in charge of how you react to the people and events in your life. You can either give negativity power over your life or choose happiness instead. Take control and choose to focus on what is important in your life. Those who cannot live fully often become destroyers of life.”
— Anaïs Nin

Hello, how are you? I’m fine, thank you for asking; another banner night of sleep, I think I clocked about 9 hours, I did wake up for 30 minutes around 3:00, got some water, got some snugs from my wife, and ended the night dreaming.

We had planned on hosting some Indiana friends tonight; Greg and crew were coming in to visit a local college and then head to ski. However, after looking at the weather, I recommended a local old school motel that would allow them easy access to the school; I fear they would get here, get stuck, and miss their visit.

We are supposed to get some snow today; we should have a foot of fresh powder by tomorrow. I had a meeting on Golden Thursday, but the group decided to do it virtually due to the possible weather. If you think about it, virtual meetings, albeit not as fun or friendly as in person, allow us to continue doing business. This concept has been a new idea in the last 36 months.

Suppose you think about fifteen people meeting, each drive 30 minutes one way to attend their in-person meeting. That’s 15 hours of lost time driving which could be better served to make prospecting calls, manage client experience, or some other task that will be a long-term benefit for the company. So I think many meetings moving forward will be virtual, with social events moving back to in-person.  

Using my Ipad gives better clarity for virtual calls; I also made a $12.00 investment into a swivel arm that allows me to position the Ipad and make a good showing when virtual. How many meetings have you been on this week when one or more attendees were not in a good position for their virtual presence? Please pay attention; it matters.

I had my board meeting yesterday, a sound update from all owners; I will share that these are unique times for all business owners. If you are not in a peer group and own a business, there has never been a better time to join others and make sure you are not the only one battling dragons and demons. If in Indy, check out The I Team; I suggest The Alternative Board if anywhere else.

I wrapped that meeting, answered all my emails, then had four other meetings throughout the day. I met the man that caught Peyton Mannings last touchdown pass in the Super Bowl; Bennie is a great man with great character that works with another friend doing business coaching. I talked to a couple of agency owners about their experience with a possible partner and had a third interview with a strong candidate for an open position.

We drove down the hill; Bay is with us this week, the three of us headed to a new Mexican joint in our hood, we met my friend Jack. Jack and I met on LinkedIn; he has been to our mountain house, loved his visit so much, he scored an Air B and B in Golden, and now lives here a month a year to scratch his ski itch. So it was good to catch up, and the food was great; we will be back!

We got home, put on comfy clothes, Bay and I played Gin, Jenny went to bed early, Bay and I stayed up and watched some silly Netflix show before heading to bed. I must say it is a battle sleeping comfortably with a large dog, two cats, and my wife in a Queen sized bed, but I wouldn’t change a thing!

I just took a call from a long-time client; someone broke into his shop last night stole a bunch of stuff, including a couple of autos; I’ll get to work on his claim this morning; that is why he has insurance. As an insurance professional, I think it wise to answer your phone on a 25/8/366 basis; your availability will separate you from your competition.

What other ways can you separate your firm, yourself, from others offering a similar service? Of course, availability is critical, but so is consistency. Responsiveness and acknowledgment of service requests can help put your clients at ease while knowing the expectations of time and completion of tasks. Solid policies and procedures that are consistently updated to adapt to the changing work environment are also crucial.

What guidance can you share? These are my tips from running a business for 30 years. What thing do you think is vital to help retain clients and keep the trains running on time? From a team-building aspect, I’ve found testing all candidates is critical. I shared our approach to team creation with a friend, and he said that one test you use is expensive; I said not really if it can help “ensure” you get the right person on the bus in the correct seat.

A minor personal update and some business nuggets, I appreciate your visiting and keeping up with my life, and I encourage you to think about doing a daily journal. Self-reflection is critical to help you evolve and change to meet the new world reality. So wake up to be your best self, doing your best work, and the rest will take care of itself.

“From the backstabbing co-worker to the meddling sister-in-law, you are in charge of how you react to the people and events in your life. You can either give negativity power over your life or choose happiness instead. Take control and choose to focus on what is important in your life. Those who cannot live fully often become destroyers of life.”
— Anaïs Nin