In my village, there is a popular eatery. The eatery serves roast goat meat and some boiled chicken plus the accompaniments. I have been to this restaurant multiple times in the last decade. The restaurant, in my opinion, is a successful business venture. The taste of the goat meat and chicken, their availability, and the friendliness and promptness of the staff all stand out at this eatery. When I visited the eatery a few days ago, the taste of the goat meat reminded me of my last visit. By being consistently good at what they do, the eatery has captured the hearts of many customers, both locals and visitors. The majority of their customers are on repeat visits.
What does it mean to be consistent? Consistency is the attribute of always being the same or acting in the same way. Consistent businesses maintain a specific level of quality in their products and services. Such businesses appear to have certain standards and consistently execute their activities in a certain way. Their marketing and communication messages are also consistent. Every time we engage with a business, we can see how consistent or inconsistent they are. Some businesses are consistently good and others are consistently poor. Some are also quite inconsistent; they are good at times and bad at others. The fact that we can trust the quality of a product and/or service is the key reason why we buy the same product or utilize the same service provider over time. Therein lies the power of consistency.
Consistency is a powerful tool for cultivating a loyal customer base. Consistency establishes a positive reputation and boosts business performance. Businesses that focus on consistency outperform those entangled in a web of inconsistencies. Customers find it difficult to judge a business if its product and/or service quality is inconsistent. Consistency means that employees act in a certain manner, have the same attitudes toward customers and each other, and are clear about the goals that their businesses are pursuing. Successful businesses are consistent in both what they do and how they do it. Consistency does not imply a lack of adaptability. Businesses known for their consistency consistently change for the better.
Is your business consistent in what it does? Would you, as a customer, keep purchasing a product or service with inconsistent quality? Would you continue to buy tea or food from a restaurant if it looked and tasted different with each purchase? Customers are unlikely to return if the quality of the product or service is inconsistent. It is impossible to guarantee the quality of products and services that are inconsistent. Businesses have failed because of a lack of consistency. Consistency is a fundamental flaw in many businesses, particularly in medium and small enterprises (SMEs). Those who own or manage businesses that are notorious for their inconsistencies need to act quickly to survive. Every smart business takes advantage of the power of consistency as a key differentiator. My local eatery has been consistently good at this. Please keep an eye out the next time you visit my village. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!
Dr Lucy Kiruthu is a Management Consultant and Trainer. Connect via Twitter @KiruthuLucy
