Excellence by my own definition is “doing something better today, than you used to do it, or as it is used to be done before. It is demonstrating expertise or adding a touch of class or creativity in whatever you are doing.” Robert G. Allen in his book, Multiple Streams of Income advises that, “If your product, service, or information isn’t distinguishably excellent or unique, it will eventually become a casualty of competition.”
This casualty of competition is what has led to the demise of many businesses, because their products or services cannot compete profitably with other products in the market. If you want to create your own market share, you have to make sure that the quality of your product or service is outstanding, and it must rank as one of the best in the market at the prevailing market price. This will give you good chance of succeeding in the long term.
To guarantee excellence, the quality of your product or service is important. First, determine what your customers think is high quality, because their expectations determines quality. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your product is the best in the market; therefore you can give customers a sub-standard product or shabby treatment when it comes to services. There are lots of good viable options in the market for customers to choose from, always strive to maintain your customers’ patronage at all times. Once your customer tries another option, obviously, you are in for a competition with a rival. According to G. Allen, quality helps an entrepreneur to achieve market dominance, high turnover and profitability. As long as you don’t compromise these three factors, your product or service will always remain marketable.
There has to be a paradigm shift in the way we conduct our businesses. The excellence culture is lacking in many people. The clamour for foreign products or services will be curtailed if we imbibe this culture. The customer is the core of every product or service, and if businesses do not aspire to meet customer’s quality expectations, obviously they are not going to succeed. George Fisher, Motorola chairman, says, “Our goal as we progress in life should be to do very well in whatever it is we’re doing. If I’m picking up garbage, I want to be the best garbage collector in the world. If I’m designing an integrated circuit, I want to be the best at that.” Dan Bollom equally said, “Quality is exceeding customers’ expectation. You will not be successful overtime without it.”
In proverbs 31, King Solomon tells the story of a woman who by every respect epitomises a successful entrepreneur. One of her secrets as revealed in the Bible is, “She perceives that her merchandise is good…” (Proverbs31:18). That means, she takes time to examine her products to consider it fit, marketable and competitive among similar products in the market. Her commitment to excellence makes her a key player in the market. It should be noted that you can break even in the short run but, you cannot maintain a reasonable level of profitability in the long run if the product or service you offer has no mark of excellence. Excellence is the greatest advert medium you need to carve a niche for yourself in whatever industry you are operating in.
Okey Onyema
