What does making changes in business really mean?

To answer that question. I first need to ask another question to help us understand the difference between change which creates a solution and change which makes us busy.

“Is your goal to get a solution that fixes your challenges forever. Or do you want something that makes you feel better about yourself because you are busy doing something differently?”

I started my career journey in the hotel and hospitality industry, and in the late 1980s I was organising and managing all sorts of different events from weddings and shows to corporate conferences. One common factor that exists in pretty much any event is the lunchtime queue. I’m sure you’ve done it yourself the last time you attended an event, the speeches are over, the presentations are finished and the host says “OK now ladies and gentlemen we’re going to break for lunch” and everybody piles over to the buffet where we form an orderly queue and wait our turn, ready to fill our plate with all that’s on offer.

I’m sure you remember that lunch and the queue you joined, and whilst it’s nice to chat with others, we all wish we could get to the front as quickly as possible.

Why was there a queue? Typically because the catering arrangements were laid out in such a way that people queued from one end and filled their plate as they moved along the buffet to finally collect their beautifully wrapped knives and forks and return to their table to eat.

In so many cases, the catering facilities have always traditionally been arranged at the side of the room with one side of the tables against the wall, and people queuing along the buffet to collect their food.

I remember starting a particular contract in the late 1980s where I had to ask the question. Why are people queuing at the buffet in only one direction? Why can’t we move the buffet to the middle of the room, and have people use the buffet on both sides. In fact, why can’t we have multiple food stations where there is no need to queue at all.

The changes we made to the way we ran our events and provided the catering gave our clients a better experience.

So you see change is about creating a different result, not about creating a list of things to change.

What we created was a solution that changed the outcome for the people we served. This brings us back to the original question. What does it mean to make a change in business. For me, change is about creating something that changes the results. It’s not about creating a change in activity just for the sake of doing something differently.

Next time you are thinking about making changes in your business, think about what I did when I was in the hotel industry in the 1980s and move your buffet to the middle of the room. Take action that results in change and creates a better outcome for those you serve.

The results you create for your business, customers and clients are not just different, they are better.

Sometimes we don’t need to change the world. Perhaps making just one or two small changes which fix your challenges forever might be the very thing you are looking for.

Think about what will make a difference to the output of our business, whether that’s customer service, a new product, or a product that is used in a different way.

If it makes our output better, then that’s the change to make.

Book a call with me here and let’s talk about creating lasting change for you and your business.