September 2013
Update
Tirelessly working to make your business the best it can be...
the
Confidence
trick I caught the tail end of a discussion programme on the radio. It was just after the semi-finals of The Apprentice and they were talking about the 3rd candidate that had been fired. What was interesting was that the panellists all agreed that it was self belief that had carried these finalists through each task, even the candidate that didn’t actually own any part of the business he was putting forward for investment. Self belief is an extremely powerful thing. When I asked a friend of mine, who has built a highly successful business over the last decade, what had carried him through the numerous trials and tribulations of starting and running an independent business he replied, ‘Well nobody told me I couldn’t do it so I just assumed I could.’ Whatever problem was thrown at him he always believed he could find a solution. The very fact that he believed he could solve any problem opened up so many opportunities for him. If his first solution didn’t work,
Take a look at your Business The people behind the business New members this month Tip of the month
an d M ore...
www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell
he simply found another one. Someone with less self belief may well have given up. There are many examples of this in the sporting world. Usain Bolt does not start a race believing he will come second. When interviewed before the 2012 Olympics he said “You’re not going to catch me. It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing.” It is that inner confidence that frees him from fear and allows him to focus on the things he needs to do to win the race. Now I don’t for one moment believe that an unshakable inner confidence will win through every time. After all, Usain has come second on a couple of occasions. However, it is that freedom from fear
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of failure that allows certain businesses to grasp opportunities that others may shy away from. “It really is all about believing in yourself: 80 per cent mental, 20 per cent physical.” - Victoria Pendleton Strangely enough it’s the little things that help us maintain our inner confidence.
Celebrate the Good Stuff We’ve become so busy in our working lives we often forget to take a moment to celebrate the good things that happen; the happy customer, the new client, the perfect solution to a seemingly unsolvable problem. The simple act of writing down the good stuff that happened in our day will remind us how successful we actually are. It also allows us to review these successes at a later date.
Focus on What You Can Do For Others
Take a Moment to be Grateful When I was a child my grandmother constantly told me to count my blessings. I found this infuriating as it was invariably said just after I’d been told that I couldn’t do or have something. I now realise how important it is. It’s so easy to forget that as business owners we are masters of our own destiny and free to make our own choices. Just that freedom is a blessing in itself, before we even start on our home, our families, our friends, bbqs in the sun (ok so that’s only this year), the list goes on.
Walk Like You Mean It Now this is a strange one, but none the less fact. It’s difficult to experience self doubt when your head is held high and your shoulders are back. Seriously…. try it! Self belief on its own won’t turn your business into an overnight, worldwide success, but what it will do is allow you to grasp opportunities as they appear.
Self doubt tends to make us turn our focus inwards and we are always harder on ourselves than we are on others. If we shift our attention to what we can do for the people around us we start to concentrate on positives rather than negatives, successful outcomes rather than failures.
Nig e l
Offer of the Month Weekender 6 Course Tasting Menu just £19.99 per person THE RESTAURANT @ Chalk Lane Hotel – a hidden gem in Epsom, present you their Weekender 6 Course Tasting Menu from French chef Vincent Hiss. This is food at its best – beautifully prepared, presented, served and tasting delicious. Call now to make your reservation. Available Friday, Saturday, Sunday evenings between 7:00 and 10:00 pm. All persons on table to have the menu.
Limited numbers, so please advise the Hotel when booking to confirm availability. Telephone: 01372 721179
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The People Behind The Business Jill and Paul Tame – to us it’s personal… When Home Instead wrote their strap line “to us it’s personal” they must have had Jill and Paul Tame in mind, because to them the service they provide is very personal. The couple have lived locally for most of their lives, and are very happy that they are now able to give something back to the community, providing care to the elderly in the area. Both Jill and Paul are the first to admit that Home Instead is not just about them – it’s about their CAREGivers. These are the important people who visit the elderly in their homes. Yes they undertake many domestic tasks, but they give much more – companionship. It is this companionship which gives a quality of life for their clients. The team work very hard ensuring comprehensive training is given, and carefully matching the CAREGiver to the client – Will they get on? What do they have in common? “At the end of the first assessment I said half- jokingly, if there was a male carer with a dog that would be ideal. We ended up with two carers, men with dogs who I can safely say saved my sanity. “ Lorraine H wife of client. So why a care giving business? Jill says it was fate that drew them to starting the business. “We were at a wedding and were chatting to the brides grandmother. After a few dances and glasses of wine later, she said that it was lovely to be able to be at the wedding, as she didn’t get out very much any more and would love to go dancing with a young man again. I think Paul was rather flattered about being called a young man, ld u o c but a seed was sown!” It
ou! be y
So how do they like it? As Paul says “Seeing up close and personal what a difference that quality care can make to people’s lives - I love working in the heart of our community and am very proud of the service that we are delivering”. To us it really is personal.
Homes Instead Senior Care – Epsom, winners of the Epsom & Ewell Business Excellence Awards – Best Business for Training & Development 2012 Home Instead Senior Care Epsom 01372 741 544 enquiries@homeinstead.co.uk
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Working Well...
Are you SMART – do you LOOK SMART – do you THINK SMART? Lots of businesses in Epsom and Ewell love the smart car. It’s small (but not inside you’d think you were in a full sized saloon). It’s ideal for town and city driving (enough nip for our busy roads).
our y e r a “Sh let d n a s sse succe now what k stof Nigel e b e h ft bits o orking are w u.” for yo
It’s easy to park (can almost fit into a halfpenny space as they say). It’s cheap road tax (for standard edition currently £30 a year). It’s reliable (engineered by Mercedes – not a lot of people know that!) It’s different – it certainly is and it gets you and your business noticed. There are few cars on the market today which get you noticed – the supercars – the vintage – and the quirky. If you are business looking for mobile and versatile advertising – but at a cost you can afford – then the smart car fits the bill for you. At thebestofepsomandewell we Love our smart – it’s fun – it’s different – and it most definitely gets us noticed. And it’s not just us – here are a number of SMART local businesses who Look and Think SMART. KT Partnership, local mortgage brokers. You will see Mike Tickner regularly zipping about the town in their liveried smart. The Personal Agent – a local estate agent with 3 branches in the area. They are so SMART they have 3 smart cars. You can see them running between offices and visiting properties. VSL Beauty Salon. Vanessa can be seen around the area visiting her Very Special Ladies. The boot capacity is large enough that she can carry her equipment for tanning and treatments. Mercedes-Benz Epsom. OK they are our local smart car dealers – so maybe just a little biased – but they value the mobile marketing potential that the smart car gives them.
At thebestof Epsom and Ewell we are on the lookout for other great members. This month we are looking for....
• Florists • Plumbers • Vets • Electricians If you know a business that fits the bill please contact the team...
01737 350079
And here’s the really big PLUS – VERSATILITY. Are you re-branding your company – were your colours red on green – but now they are blue on yellow! No need to buy a new car or have a spray job – you simply change the panels and away you go!! Now that’s SMART. smart works – it get your business noticed, so be SMART and visit Mercedes-Benz in Kiln Lane, Epsom. www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell Update September 2013 Bestof-Epsom and Ewell-September 2013.indd 4
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We’re consistently uncovering hidden gems. Say a big hello to this months stars.
Meet some of our
members Ashtead Hospital A premier private hospital located in the leafy glades of Ashtead near Epsom. Offering medical, surgical and nursing care. Highly qualified medical teams, excellent facilities and luxury accommodation. Relax – they’ll take good care of you.
01372 221400
Give t hem a call and say He llo
Lynne Said @ Forever Living Lynne Said @ Forever Living offers a range of luxury products and treatments for your skin. All made using the ‘natural healer’ aloe vera. These moisturise and protect the skin – giving it a wonderful look.
0203 2838745
LA fitness - Ewell Want to keep Fit and have Fun! LA fitness – Ewell is the place for you. With great facilities – fully equipped gym, 17m pool, outdoor tennis, and group classes, they have memberships to suit your needs. We’ll get there together.
0208 393 2333
Mercedes-Benz Epsom Did you know there is a Mercedes dealership in Epsom? Located in Kiln Lane it offers full sales, maintenance and repair facilities. Drop by and see their large selection of new and used cars – including the one we all love the smart car
01372 747000
Surrey Business Network
Epsom & Ewell Mobile Massage
If you want to meet likeminded businesses in the area then Surrey Business Network is for you.
For a professional massage service at your own location call Epsom & Ewell Mobile Massage. Aromatherapy, relaxing, deep tissue and sports massage treatments – from ITEC Level 4 therapist Theo. Mobile massage is also a great idea for corporate events or pamper parties.
0208 669 3789
07711 724129
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There’s Always
ONE
We all have them; the difficult customer that we never seem to satisfy. If we have it blue, they want green. If it comes in small or medium they want large. Even exceeding their expectations seems to annoy them. It seems that whatever we try to do is just not good enough. So what do we do with them? Fix It or Fire Them
Adversary to Advocate
Now don’t get me wrong. There are some
The thing with the difficult customer is conversations are often fraught with emotion. We start to dread the call or the visit
unreasonable customers out there that nothing and no-one can please. Often their complaints seem ingenuous. However, until we can truly understand the problems these customers experience there is no way to tell whether they are unreasonable, misinformed or struggling with problems they don’t have solutions for. Often the advice is to pass them to a competitor; let the difficult customer stretch their resources and try their patience instead. In some cases that is the right thing to do, but are we missing a trick here?
from them and often we have assumed the worst before they’ve even said a word. These assumptions then colour the conversation we have. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Breaking that cycle however, can start a very loyal and long standing, working relationship. They can become your biggest advocate purely because you have tackled the issues in a different way. A friend of mine used to say ‘Kill ‘em with kindness’ and ask yourself ‘Is this how I would want to be treated if I was a customer.’
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So next time you’re struggling with a difficult customer; Listen. Let them say everything they need to say before you offer solutions. In the first instance, irate people want to be heard, they don’t want a solution. Tell them you hear what they’re saying. It’s almost impossible to argue with, which reduces the emotion in the call. If they keep shouting, keep telling them. Once they are calmer, ask them what they what they want or need to achieve, it is often not what they originally called for so solutions you offer before you have asked will probably be wrong.
Don’t take it personally. You are unlikely to be the cause of all this customers problems. Remembering it’s the situation not the person ensures you can remain calm and objective. Once the emotion is removed, it’s easier to tell if the customer has a genuine issue Focus on what you both agree on first. This gives you an insight into where they are coming from and starts to build empathy on both sides.
You never know, that could just be the start of an amazing relationship.
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thebestof Epsom and Ewell is run by Nigel & Maggie
Our aim is to provide the best businesses in Epsom and Ewell with a world class
marketing service. We’ll raise your profile, connect you to new contacts and customers - and maximise your business potential. We really do care about every one of our Business Members and we are there every step of the way to ensure that thebestof works for you.
1. Testimonials 2. Dual-branded postcards 3. Mix and match 4. Commercial photos 5. Certificates 6. Brand Awareness 7. Campaigns 8. Call Tracking 9. An Evening with 10. Social Media 11. Blog 12. Events 13. Video 14. Special offers for members 15. Quote me
Our 17 marketing tools
16. Mobile Website and App 17. Website feature
Here at thebestof Epsom and Ewell, word of mouth just got louder! Every business we feature has been checked out by us AND recommended by other local people so you can use them with confidence knowing they truly are one of the best at what they do.
Tele: 01737 350079 Email: Epsom@thebestof.co.uk
Coming Soon An Evening With thebestof Epsom & Ewell Cocktail & Canapés Networking Event At The Chalk Lane Hotel – Epsom. Wednesday 25th September and Wednesday 30th October 6:00 to 8:30pm Our monthly local business networking event is on the last Wednesday of every month and is now the premier networking event locally, where business owners meet in a social environment. Put the dates in your diary! Epsom & Ewell Family Fun Day 22nd September 2013 Hook Road Arena Organised by The Rotary Clubs of Epsom & Ewell The 2012 Fun Day was a GREAT success with around 6000 people attending and this year they hope to get even MORE!! For full details please visit: www.epsomfunday.net www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell Update September 2013 Bestof-Epsom and Ewell-September 2013.indd 8
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