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The 21 commonsense business development truths 17
This is a prime example of the blatant disregard of customer opinion and
preferences. I haven’t been there since and I will not be going back. I
suspect the other customers will avoid this hotel too for fear of going deaf!
See Chapter 6, golden rule 2 for more.
17. Train your people to spot opportunities
I recently carried out a simple and informal experiment to see whether businesses
would pick up on a blatant and obvious business opportunity. I walked into three
travel agents on a typical high street. Two of them were major multinationals and
the other a small independent. I simply asked: ‘Do you by any chance have the
new Fred Olsen Cruise brochure please?’ All of the agencies looked on their display
shelves and said: ‘We might have some in the back.’ On each occasion, eventually a
member of staff returned apologising for the fact that they didn’t have that brochure
at the moment.
Not one of them offered to take contact details so that they could let me have a bro-
chure when they did get it in, and nobody thought behind my question and looked
at me as a potential new cruise customer who might spend several thousands with
them.
Despite the fact that they had glossy brochures of various other cruise lines on their
shelves I was allowed to walk out of their shops without any further conversation or
questions. I could have been asked, where I might want to cruise and when? It is pos-
sible that if they had found out about my preferences, they may have had something
else to offer me then and there.
How many obvious and simple business opportunities do you or your col-
leagues miss?
18. Get out of your ofce or premises and mix
and mingle
It is an absolute business development truth that a great deal can be
achieved by fostering and building relationships. Those who nd them-
selves permanently tucked away behind their desks and who never leave
their premises will always be at a disadvantage.
Attend conferences and events, visit trade exhibitions, network with
fellow business professionals and go out of your way to meet innovators,
commentators and inuential people and organisations dictating the
pace of change. Stop and get to know and meet your competitors, build
your contact base, get recognised, ask questions, make contributions, get
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