Generation of Profit vs. Meeting Customer Needs
Our business model runs on both of these concepts. Everyday we walk the delicate balance beam in front of us that runs right down the center of our profit and our customer. Meeting the customer's need does not always correlate directly with generating or meeting our profit expectation. Successful businesses meet the need in a way that balances the cost of delivering satisfying results.
The Service-Profit Dance
This specific service-profit dance is done everyday in our accounts. If the residents complain about variety on our menu and we give them an over-scaled menu with no production sheets or par levels, then our costs will out weigh any increase of cash flow. But ignoring the service issue for fear that our costs will increase, unbalances us the other direction.
In it for the long run
Sometimes it is important for us to sacrifice short term profits for the interest of customer satisfaction. Many of our accounts have dealt with this: implementing a restaurant menu with new menu covers, serving trays, support managers, etc. Once the menu is in place and running, the satisfaction grows and profitability falls back in line for the long term.
Marketing
Our clients use high satisfaction as a marketing tool and so should we. Your marketing department probably brings in small groups of perspective clients, local business members or even board members. If our food wasn't fresh or our service wasn't satisfactory then dining wouldn't be used as a tool to market. Our company can use this same strategy for future clients. Whether it brings in new clients to us by simple word of mouth referrals or solidifies our client loyalty, positive marketing accomplishes both profit AND satisfaction!