Welcome to the very first edition of our newest feature, the South West Voice/ConnectFX BizQ&A. Kicking it off is RICHARD DE GROOT, pictured, from SendOutCards:
What are the three lessons in business you have learnt?
1. Treat your customers the way you would like to be treated yourself. If the deal is not good enough for you to buy, to build, to live in, to use etc then why would it be the case for your customer? The right kind of attitude will have your customer come back to you and refer you every time, especially with the help of SendOutCards. J
2. Give something extra unexpectedly to your customer as a service. As a tradesperson I never left the place until it was spotless even when it was dirty before I started. In the end it comes down to “if you give more you will receive more” but that is not the reason you do that extra bit, it has to come from the heart.
3. Always follow up on your appointments, never ever be late, never offer an excuse for your tardiness, and take responsibility for your stuff-ups. If you stuffed up, fix it but own up to it, the customer will understand and it makes you a better person in their eyes and you will learn that you will feel better about yourself as well, especially if you fixed the problem properly.
Give us a few of your crowning achievements. The kinds of things that you can look back at and gauge how well you have done?
1. Once I set a goal, there is nothing to stop me from achieving it; the hardest goal I have set to date was to become a paramedic. Everybody said I would never make, it as the biggest problem was to get through the application process. I have been a paramedic for 20 years.
2. I earned the right to carry the torch during the Sydney Olympics. I passed three of the five criteria and you only needed one to be able to get selected.
3. I came to Australia with very little of anything but with hard work and calculated risk taking, it only took 33 years to achieve instant success. I have two properties with 56 and 70 acres respectively, a dual occupancy property and my homestead of 8.5 acres, 2 cars, BMW motorbike, a business etc and almost no mortgage.
Who is your business hero – living or dead?
Richard Branson, firstly he has my name so he has to be good already. I like his outlook on business and the fact that he always does that unexpected extra bit like I have always done. Not because he said so, I already did this before I read his book, “Screw business as usual”.
What is your favourite business book?
I think I just answered that in the question above.
What do you listen to while you work?
2GB, they talk common sense.
Favourite quote?
I have two. If it is to be, it is up to me. If you think you can or if you think you can’t, you’re right.
What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else? What’s your secret?
Focus, determination, adventurist and consistent. My focus, once I made up my mind (this usually only takes a second) nothing is going to stop me. I can see a solution in my mind, I can find problems with that and find more solutions for them again. My mind can recall streets, locations, jobs I have done etc.
What’s the best advice you ever received?
You can do anything you want, it is up to you to choose what that will be. This was told to me by a psychologist after my accident when I informed him that I was not smart but good with my hands.
Fill in the blank:
I’d love to see Melita Valcich answer these questions.
Current mobile device?
Samsung Galaxy S4
Current computer?
Toshiba laptop
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without? Why?
Excel and Word as I like to make my own programs where possible and I like to write letters, documents etc in Word. My family tree software as I have over 800 people in there. On my phone, the Google app so I can keep on researching, tools – no idea
What’s your best time-saving shortcut?
Never walk empty handed, saves you half the time required to set up and break down. There are always things you can do on your way there or on your way back. Focus on the job ahead and prepare yourself for it, think it through in your head and finish it and you will know what you are going to need rather than coming back to get it.
Besides your phone and computer, what gadget/app can’t you live without and why?
I am sure you mean something to do with technology but I do not care about those, my carpentry tools I could not do without EVER. I love making things from wood whether that is a simple thing like a pen or a bit more complex like a double bed or bookcase. I can have a lump of wood in the garage for up to five years before I know what I am going to get out of it or I can see immediately what I can make from it.
