Henry Ford once said, “If I had asked my customers what
they wanted, they would have told me, ‘a faster horse.’”
That thought applies to many businesses. Sometimes, those
you serve have a difficult time articulating what they really
want — or don’t want — from you. But if you really listen to
their problems, you can discover exactly what they’re looking
for.
My company, OsteoMed II, is an alternative medicine company. As a conventionally trained physician, I used to pay attention when patients grumbled about not having enough time to
talk with their doctor. I also heard complaints about taking
prescription drugs and doing all the tests but not feeling one
bit better. They couldn’t vocalize the changes they needed, so
they kept repeating the same things.
At the same time, alternative medicine was coming into
wider acceptance. Patients were asking for information about
vitamins, acupuncture, massage and other treatments. In the
beginning, I didn’t have the answers, so I researched ways to
meet their needs.
I opened my clinic in 1996 and rather than joining a hospital
medical staff, I got a $12,000 loan and opened an office. I did
seminars with businesses, such as health food stores, and I
spend up to 60 minutes with each patient. I learned new skills
so I could offer specialized services.
Today, our clinic has annual revenue of more than $1 million
and employs 12 professionals since I figured out my customers
weren’t asking for a faster horse but for a whole new animal.
You need the courage to create something truly different that
can become a sustainable niche, even if it seems way outside
the usual way of doing business. Listening to discover the core
of problems works, whether you’re an IT company, a manufacturer, a banker or even a friendly family doctor.
DR. SHERRI TENPENNY is founder, president and CEO of OsteoMed II (www.osteomed2.com) and
a member of the Cleveland Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization (www.eonetwork.org), an international organization of business owners dedicated to helping each other learn and grow.