The sacrifices of business

Jan. 1, 2020
I know it’s sometimes hard to believe, but for the most part, Southern California is a desert.

I know it’s sometimes hard to believe, but for the most part, Southern California is a desert. If we weren’t as clever about moving water from one physical location to another, it would be a lot more obvious. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say that depending upon the season, the farther you are from ocean, the more likely you are to encounter temperatures in the high nineties or low hundreds.

Like this article? Sign up to receive our news blasts here.

In the late spring, Sante Fe Springs is far enough from the water for heat to be an issue when you’re planning any event, especially a company-wide open house. So, the fact that I was soaking wet as I dragged new product information, marketing materials, brochures, catalogues and other stuff back to the car after a warehouse tour and three hours of slowly moving from booth to booth, vendor to vendor, was not going to make the six o’clock news.

The fact that I live a lot closer to the ocean than where I was headed and the fact that it was a lot (emphasis on a lot) cooler at home when I left in the morning than it would be more than 60 miles south and east, didn’t make the trek any easier. Nor did getting stuck in traffic because this particular weekend just happened to be the one weekend that all four L.A. sports teams — the Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers and Kings  —were in town and deeply involved in their respective playoffs.

Sacrifice was the word that kept popping up, the one word I couldn’t get out of my head. I’m generally at the shop every morning at a little after 6:30 a.m. I close the doors and turn out the lights at just about the same time 12 hours later, go home, have dinner, discuss the day with my wife and then lock myself up in my home office and work some more.

I read, research and write, script webcasts and/or prepare seminars or pass the time outlining a keynote or two. I dedicate a number of weekend hours to shop- or industry-related projects as well: all the things that are difficult to address or attack when the day’s distractions are pecking away at you. So, carving out five hours on a Saturday to drive across the Los Angeles Basin for a vendor expo or an open house could very easily be considered a sacrifice of sorts. And, no matter how driven you may be, there are only so many hours in the day and when more than 60 are consumed by your “real” job each week, the number of discretionary hours remaining are few and precious.

So, why do it? Why sacrifice the time, the effort or the energy?

It’s not like your first call will stop answering the phone or stop delivering if you don’t!

That’s what I was thinking about as I popped the trunk and tossed the three sacks of assorted stuff behind the elastic netting. That’s what I thought about as I slid behind the wheel and put the top down. To tell you the truth, I was a little surprised at just how quickly an answer bubbled to the surface.

You do it because you are involved in a relationship — a relationship that has blossomed over time. And, you honor that relationship, just as you honor any worthwhile relationship, by bringing something of value to the table whenever you can and whenever you are asked.

Our first call brought together their preferred vendors, manufacturer’s representatives, their vendor’s employees, their own employees, information, food, entertainment and a lost Saturday of their own — a pretty significant sacrifice of time and resources. They did all this for me, for all of their customers, to show us who they are, the programs they have and the resources they are capable of marshaling on our behalf.

Pretty impressive when you think about it. So, it seemed only reasonable for me to respond by giving up a Saturday of my own, getting in the car and making my way to the other end of the world. Was it worth it?

I’m still going through the three sacks of “stuff” I brought home. I’ve integrated a number of their programs into our normal, every day shop operations and plan on implementing more. I brought a lot of information back to the shop with me, valuable information that will prove useful in the coming months. But, perhaps the most important consequence of moving from vendor booth to vendor booth, filling one sack and then another was just being there, just being seen there.

These are two different kinds of sacrifices. As a warehouse, it’s the kind that says, “As a customer, you are important to me — worthy of the sacrifice I have made in putting this event together.”

As a shop owner, it’s the kind of sacrifice that says, “I see what you’ve done for me, what you’ve done to ensure my success and you need to know that I will be there for you.”

Sponsored Recommendations

ZEUS+: The Cutting-Edge Diagnostic Solution for Smart, Fast, and Efficient Auto Repairs

The new ZEUS+ simplifies your diagnostic process and guides you through the right repair, avoiding unnecessary steps along the way. It gives you the software coverage, processing...

Diagnostic Pre- and Post-scan Reports are Solid Gold for Profitability

The following article highlights the significance of pre-scans and post-scans, particularly with Snap-on scan tools, showcasing their efficiency in diagnosing issues and preventing...

Unlock Precision and Certainty: TRITON-D10 Webinar Training for Advanced Vehicle Diagnostics

The TRITON-D10 lets you dig deep into the systems of a vehicle and evaluate performance with comparative data, systematically eliminating the unnecessary to provide you with only...

APOLLO-D9: Trustworthy Diagnostics for Precision Repairs

The APOLLO-D9 provides the diagnostic information and resources you need to get the job done. No more hunting through forums or endlessly searching to find the right answers. ...

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Vehicle Service Pros, create an account today!