68-64-32-16-8-4-2-1

Is the above a Fibonacci number?  No – it’s a breakdown of how many teams were in the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  March Madness – the weeks when 68 college basketball teams play it out until only one team is crowned as champions – the 2015 men’s champions were from Duke University. This year, the tournament reduced productivity in the workplace to the tune of $1.9 Billion in lost wages (as reported by Fortune). The excitement includes completing bracket forms, placing bets, and watching games during work hours. Somehow, businesses didn’t implode during March Madness – they still managed to stay on track even with the distraction.

But it’s not always easy to keep winning in business when unusual circumstances pop up, like the March Madness season. For a small business, it’s especially hard because there are fewer people to get the work done to begin with, and lost revenue can more deeply affect the bottom line. But you can still come out on top. You see, there’s an important distinction between business and basketball: in the NCAA tournament, there can only be one winner in the end. Whoever has the best players, coaches, strategy – and sometimes even fans – wins. But in business, if you play the game right and don’t get too distracted, two can win – you and your customers.

Getting to a win-win.

When you work with a customer, the sale of your product or service is never guaranteed to go smoothly. Just like winning a game, it depends on so many factors.In today’s digital market, customers have access to products and services all over the world – getting them to buy from you again and again is no small feat. Usually it’s one small distinguishing factor that makes a client choose you for the first time, and keeps them coming back. Is it the personal relationship with you or one of your employees?Maybe it’s the quality of your work, or the level of customer service. Maybe it’s nothing as touchy-feely as any of that – it could just be that you have the best price or a convenient location. Knowing what sets you apart from the competition – and how to use it to your advantage so you can set yourself up to win sales – is a crucial part of your sales process. Is your team equipped with this knowledge?

Once you gain a customer, what’s next? Taking a customer along the road from being a prospect to having a winning experience can be long and arduous. You know I’m a big Phillies fan – this year’s opening day game was like that for the Phillies – long and arduous. Unfortunately for Philly fans, it was a 8-0 win for Boston (whose fans loved the game of course!) As the business owner, it’s your job to make sure your entire team sticks to the objective and plays to win, all while staying nimble. Sometimes you have to bench your star if they don’t gel with a particular client, and sometimes circumstances force you to give a rookie a shot at something big. Every person has their part to play in serving customers, keeping your in-house processes flowing, and strengthening the customer relationship. These are all key elements of winning the game.

Preparation is essential.

Preparing for the long sales and fulfillment process is the best way to ensure that your customer is satisfied and they either come back to you or recommend your company again and again. Ensuring that your staff is properly trained for everyday tasks and unexpected scenarios is the first step. Keeping an eye on how they help you build and maintain relationships is critical. Are they able to keep processes and relationships on track, even when they’re thrown a curveball?

Time out!

When things aren’t going perfectly, remind yourself and your staff that taking a time out is okay. A small period to stop, evaluate the situation and revise the plan can make the difference between losing a customer and gaining one for life. With every win, your company grows. But with every loss, your company has an opportunity to get smarter, more nimble and more effective. (I’m hoping the Phillies are doing this right now to prepare for the rest of this season!)

My team and I at Price Turner CFOs thrive on turning inefficiencies into efficient processes that increase productivity, eliminate wasted time and effort, and ultimately improve the bottom line. Call us anytime to find out how we can help you and your team have a winning season – every season.