"Technically your business isn't better or worse today compared to when the economy was less strained", I said to a business owner the other day.
Confused, he asked, "How that is so".
"The results you are getting now are reflective of a downturn in the economy but those results, or lack thereof, is more a reflection of the holes and problems that already existed in your business before the market changed. They simply are more evident now".
"A good economy is more forgiving. Businesses succeed in spite of themselves", I continued.
"Now, more than ever, businesses have to be doing the right things and do the right things well".
"For example", I went on, "Poor sales today are more a reflection of a poor marketing, lead generation or lead conversation strategy and system. Your systems in those areas were defective or no existent before. It's just more obvious now".
"Bad profits and cash flow is a reflection of inadequate cash and cost management systems and objective assessments of departmental and personnel performance. The problems were always there, you just didn't have to worry about them then".
"So you have a choice, you can now scramble to survive and hope the economy will turn around quick enough to plug the holes of your inefficient and effective business model and systems or you can go to work on repairing those holes in a systematic and strategy way. Once you do that your business will be stellar when the market does improve. In addition, you begin to repair your problems today that are killing your business".
Nodding his head in agreement, "Guess it's time to change the way I work and what we focus on."
"I agree!"