Reflect, Reset, and Recharge

As the year draws to a close, it’s easy to get swept up by deadlines and commitments. Yet for joinery business owners, this is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and strategise for the year ahead. Evaluating your performance and setting new goals can lead to better customer experiences and a more engaged, motivated team.

As customer service expert Shep Hyken famously stated, “To be the best place to buy at, be the best place to work at.” This powerful insight underscores the value of focusing equally on customer satisfaction and team culture.

Reflecting on the Past Year

Start by evaluating the past year’s wins, challenges, and key lessons:

Successes: What goals did you achieve, and what drove these results?
Challenges: Where did you struggle, and what can you learn from these obstacles?
Market Trends: Did industry changes, changes in customer preferences or emerging industry technologies impact your business?

Use these insights as a foundation to build your strategy for the year ahead.

Enhancing the Customer Experience

Your customer’s experience can make or break your business. When customers feel valued throughout their journey, from the initial inquiry to after-sale support, it creates loyalty and builds a strong reputation. Consider these ways to improve your customer’s experience.

Effective Communication: Customers value responsiveness and transparency. Equip your team with tools to ensure prompt updates and clear communication.
Personalisation: Tailor services to individual customer needs and project preferences. Offering personalised recommendations or custom solutions can make all the difference.
Act on Feedback: Encourage feedback through surveys, reviews, or in-person discussions. Implementing customer suggestions and improving your processes shows you care about their experience. Lead your team to keep lifting the bar.
Consistent Quality: Focus on delivering consistently high standards using quality materials and thorough comprehensive training. Quality work speaks for itself and keeps clients coming back.

Boosting Team Engagement

To create exceptional customer experiences, start with your team. Engaged employees are key to building a positive, productive workplace culture. Here are some strategies to increase engagement:

Encourage Open Communication: Foster a workplace culture where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and feedback through regular team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and anonymous channels.
Invest in Training: Professional development and upskilling show that you value your employees’ growth. Provide training in both technical and soft skills to strengthen their capabilities.
Recognise Contributions: Recognition boosts morale and motivation. From small thank-you notes to team celebrations or bonuses, acknowledge your team’s hard work.
Involve the Team in Planning: Empowering employees to contribute to company goal setting, builds ownership. When they see how their work aligns with the company’s growth, they become more engaged, motivated, and much more likely to adapt to the new approach.

Applying Hyken’s philosophy—”creating a great place to work”—naturally leads to a better customer experience, as satisfied employees go the extra mile.

Setting Goals for the New Year

Create clear, achievable goals for your business. Balance broad goals, such as expanding market share, with specific targets, like improving customer satisfaction and improving productivity.

To ensure success:

Break down large goals into manageable steps with deadlines.
Assign responsibility to specific team members for each goal.
Monitor progress regularly and be flexible enough to make adjustments. A good plan is a flexible plan.

A brief visual roadmap helps keep everyone aligned, agile, and ready to adapt to changing conditions.

Embrace New Opportunities

As you reflect and plan, consider new opportunities. For instance, adopting new technology (software, task workflow, as well as machinery) can improve production efficiency, while sustainability practices align with growing demands for eco-friendly solutions.

Conclusion

Taking time to reflect and plan positions your business for a successful and prosperous future. Focusing on team engagement and customer satisfaction, will transform your business into ‘the best place to buy at and work at.’ Every effort to build a thriving workplace culture and prioritise exceptional customer experiences strengthens both your brand and your bottom line.

Ian Featherstone is a cabinetmaker, business advisor, mentor and leadership coach. Glass Half Full provides tailored solutions to lift performance and drive growth. Ian specialises in the construction industry, particularly the joinery & cabinetry sector. For more information or to find out how you can move your team forward, please visit www.glasshalffull.co.nz