Business
|
Producing goods and services for customers is business.
Being productive,
creating value, doing something to make life easier for
others, is
business. It's interesting how the word "business"
also means "keeping
busy."
It is really funny when you stop and think about business. Business means keeping productive and busy, but most of what businesses produce these days make life easier, less busy, for the customer. All the computers, appliances, and gadgets we use more and more are allowing us to take less time to do things. It frees us. This "business" is creating "freeness". Recently I asked a friend at Opportunity Village what is the most important thing for businesses to be successful. She said, "They should be nicer to the customers when they come to see you." We need to keep in mind that "business" doesn't just mean "keeping busy," but doing things which add value to the customer. In the book Seven Letters Investment Guide, the author Wolf, Jr. states, "Above all, bear in mind that the "they" so often referred to in the markets are, in reality, you and me." If the customer is not happy with the product or service that the business is producing, then the customer won't buy it. Maybe we need to change the word business to something else. Or maybe we shouldn't. It's not easy to create value for the customer. Maybe the word "business" is right on because we have to always "keep busy" thinking of better solutions for the customer. We have to be thankful for all those businesses that "keep busy" to give us more freedom. |
Jim Holcombe
Marion, IA