There is a saying “Perception is Reality”… meaning, what a person perceives, is in fact “their” reality. Perception is the view/belief of a person, based on their own environment and stimuli and interpretations they use to form an opinion.
As part of our continuous improvement, we recently engaged an external consultant to talk with a number of our Bizprac clients to help us understand what is important to them both in their Bizprac building industry software and their business needs. We gained great insight to each business, more importantly, we gained insight into our own business. The responses blew us away. Why?
Their perception and our perception were different.
Had our building industry software changed?
The perception
Client feedback, helped us to realise that the way we communicate, has created a perception that things are not as they seem. An example, we were given feedback that our building industry software has not changed much over the years.
The reality
Bizprac developers have completely re-written our software over the course of 3 years. The new language transformation means, while seamless to Bizprac clients, means that there are minimal bugs. As a result of the upgrade, new features are now much quicker to write and implement. Many additional features, now included within the software, provide better cost control and avoid project cost overruns.
Recently talking with one of our clients who has used our building industry software for over twenty years, we learnt that he was unaware of the “Missed Items” button in the estimating software. This feature has the ability to show him where estimate items have a zero dollar, quantity, supplier or GST. He was blown away when he saw this and uses it every time now.
We want to become the very best version of ourselves. To do this, we need to take on board criticisms. Some of the feedback has provided us with a great insight to close the gap. The first thing we need to change here is perceptions.
Wikipedia provides the following definition of Perception.
Perception (from the Latin perceptio, percipio) is the organisation, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the environment.[1] All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical or chemical stimulation of the sense organs. Perception is not the passive receipt of these signals but is shaped by learning, memory, expectation, and attention.
Clients’ perception is “our” reality
A client perceives they have a problem, then, “they have a problem”. A client perceives “our building industry software has not changed”, then this is what they will communicate to others. Our reality is simple. When a prospective client looking for software, speak to our clients who perceive the software has not changed; they may not even make the time to look at our building industry software. Furthermore, they may, in turn, miss out of one of the best software for builders on the market.
Changing the perception
Working closely with our clients does a couple of things, Firstly, it empowers them through our teachings, to become an expert on Bizprac processes and how to get the best from their investment. By using the processes we provide and teach, allows our clients to realise their estimated profit margins. As a result, they can be running successful construction companies.
Secondly, by creating constant communication, we are engaged with our client. Furthermore, we listen to their needs and share information or even industry contacts. Two-way communication and information sharing between ourselves and our clients, we hope, will not only prepare them to make wise business decisions. This communication can empower them to become the best version of themselves. When they achieve this, they will have a successful construction company.
Where we can change perceptions, we create a win-win situation. When the clients understand the benefits of the improved process, they hopefully will see us as a partner. When that happens, we get to be involved in understanding their construction projects and processes. We partner with them in building their business from a successful construction company into an extraordinary construction company. In turn, we are able to use the valuable feedback to continually improve our internal processes as well as future development of our building industry software processes.
Happy clients create an added advantage for us. Customers will tell others about their positive experience, both as a customer and with their building industry software. behalf our job is done for us. In the age of digital technology, the prospect has made their mind up before we even meet them. Reviewing us and our competitors is simply validating a decision. If our clients perceive we are here to help them succeed, then they will want us to work alongside them. When this happens we have a win-win situation.
One of the smartest initiatives we undertook was to see our company through our clients’ eyes. If you want to become the best version of yourself, maybe give this a try, just remember…..
Clients’ perception is “our” reality
