Last month we featured an article titled, "The Sound of Silence". It was not based on Paul Simon's song, but was instead illustrating the challenges customers can have in a brick and mortar retail or service business. The article was based on personal experiences.

This month, we share a follow up story titled, "Eliminating the sound of silence". These are some of our favorite things we would like to hear as a means of customer service.

Someone I have worked with has had a big challenge to their business; a lot of the products they have previously sold are no longer available for sale. This business owner is struggling with the exercise of deciding what to do with their business.

Can the business survive without their main group of products? Along with losing the opportunity to sell the products, they can no longer provide service to these same products.

Their choice is to either find new products or to determine if the business can survive without these products and services. One of the exercises I have challenged them to perform is to determine just how much in operating expenses does the business need to have.

On the income statement this is determining what are the operating expenses as a percentage of sales or revenue. The essence of the exercise is to determine how much of the expenses can be removed from the business. Once the exercise is completed you get a number that you compare to the gross margin. To remain in business, there has to be a smaller operating expense percentage than there is a gross margin.

Here is a link to the calculator we have created.

We have always been advocates of incentives for the staff. First hand, we have seen the results; ordinary people become extraordinary people with the right incentive. And for those employees for whom nothing inspires them to excel, these people need to leave your employ and go to work somewhere else.

What about you? There are surely things you need to get done; they have been on your mental or written list for a while and can't seem to move from plan to completed. What if you were to dangle a carrot in front of yourself?

What if you started the day with a list of things you need to get done? If they are completed, when you leave your business at the end of the day, you will go home and do nothing for the business that evening; just enjoy yourself.

The incentive could be treating yourself to a long lunch; taking a day off; or anything that you will enjoy.

Incentives do work; how about one for you?

We want to recognize A Carrot A Day by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, whose book provides the basis for each month's incentive idea.