If you manage a small and mid-size business and don’t appreciate that “service” has two key metrics: quality of the client outcome and speed, you are woefully under prepared.

In ordering additional schoolwear for my daughter this week, the Head of Sales at the recently acquired family business refutes service deficiencies by defending his firm’s technical manufacturing challenges, embroidery and order book, in meeting a surge in consumer demand for his products. “It is not a service issue”, oh, yes it is!

The Head of Events at a 5 star London hotel is given instructions and asked for a quick proposal first thing the next morning, which they agree to. Their proposal arrives late in the afternoon, by which time my client has needed to make a decision. When asked why they weren’t considered, speed was highlighted as a key purchasing criteria.

We live in a “ready now” world whether we like it or not. That means manufacturing, distribution and communication systems need greater “redundancy”, people and technological capacity to address exceptional requests, and meet or exceed clients’ needs. If you are a small business and dispute that or simply refuse to offer that level of service, no surprise your best customers and prospects are going to your competition.