Connections:Tips for Small Business Excellence

Amazing customer service is the secret to success for Shannon Bassett's 7-year old business, Home Fridays. Her company held steady during the recession and is now expanding. Home Fridays offers home management and concierge services for second homeowners in Bend, Sunriver, Eagle Crest, Pronghorn and Caldera Springs. Property management services include a home wellness check to ensure the house is safe as well as managing regular maintenance and repairs. Concierge services include a wide variety of requests from stocking the house with groceries to decorating for a party.

Before moving to Bend, Shannon was in the real estate business for over 20 years advising corporations around the world on how to manage their properties. She also was the owner of a second home and understands the frustrations that can come with that.

She loves this business because it is new every day with different client requests. Some days she is getting a window fixed or responding to an alarm call. This time of year I am planning Thanksgiving menus or hiring personal chefs, says Shannon.

One of the oddest things I have done for a client was figure out how to send a cat to Hong Kong. Now, that was challenging, she says.

Some of you are lifetime learners while others learn by necessity. Contrary to the “You learn from your mistakes” theory in which you were raised, sports science has proven that our greatest learning is from successes and not failures.
 
Picture a football player watching videos of his successful passes and touchdowns over and over again. What will he think about the next time he goes onto the field? Success!
 
Now imagine this same player viewing only repeats of his missed passes, other team’s touchdowns. He’ll enter the field with visions of failure and his actions will reflect these thoughts.
 
Of course it is wise to notice when things don’t work so well and correct the next time, but the true key to success is in acknowledging and learning from yours and other’s accomplishments.
 
Some of our greatest leaning comes through observing the successes and failures of others. Instead of being jealous or critical, look for the learning. Always look for the learning.
 
Continually ask yourself: