The Business of Biking!

This morning I hooked up the kiddie trailer to my bike, piled my two little girls in, and made the trek from the house, down to the "Big Park" so they could swing, slide and play in all of the cool castles and pirate ships. The trip is neither arduous, nor a great distance from my house, but it does require that I develop a strategy, based on the environmental conditions.

We live in an area of Southern California known as the "High Desert". This unique area is positions 2600 feet above the Los Angeles area. It is hot during the summer, cold and snowy during the winter, and susceptible to high winds at every other point of the year. 25-35 mph winds during Spring are par for the course.

My bike, a 21-speed aluminum frame mountain bike, is my vehicle of choice, along with an aluminum/canvas framed trailer for the kiddies. Once on the road, I assess the variables I am faced with. Today, the wind was an off-shore flow (east to west winds) at about 20-25 mph, meaning the winds would be at my back en route to the park, but in my face on the return trip. It is at this point, I implement the strategy that will allow me to deliver the highest quality of service to the two tiny customers huddled and sealed in to their canvas cocoon.

With 21-gears at my disposal, I have the ability to fine-tune my operation to respond to the changes in environmental conditions. With the wind to my back, I shift in to high gears that allow for large powerful pedaling, pushing me forward at a higher speed. and allowing me to bank energy for the return trip. The return trip, now faced with the wind, requires lower, smaller gears, with greater repetition of pedaling and in most cases, pure grit. After 20 minutes of battling winds, towing 50+ pounds of girls, toys and trailer, the last 1/4 of a mile is the hardest.

Once into the garage, I unload my precious cargo and they scream "Thanks Dad" in payment for services rendered. And thus, my goal and more importantly, my customers' satisfaction have been achieved.

Okay, so if the metaphor for business has been lost, let me clear it up.

The business environment is in a constant state of flux. While the vehicle (your business) and goal (customer satisfaction) remain constant, it is the myriad of minor adjustments, and the development and execution of a sound strategy that will, at the end of the day, successfully help you to deliver on the mission of your organization. Businesses, especially in the event industry, do not typically need wide, sweeping changes to the way that business is conducted. Instead, leadership needs to have a clear picture of the goal, and must empower staff to make course corrections as needed.

Eric Tompkins, Owner
Tompkins Event Consultants