Focused on your Bottom Line?
“Focused on your Bottom Line” is the tagline of my upcoming custom CNC shop – CNCROI.com. My focus on this shop isn’t on the traditional concept behind “bottom line” meaning the cheapest shop on the block that gives you value at the expense of quality and workmanship but in the sense of increasing OUR bottom line. Let me explain.
Mutual Growth
When I ran my 3D animation studio almost 20 years ago – yeah… I’ve been in the game for a while – my goal with the business was to provide a service that couldn’t be matched, I choose only the best clients to do business with and the focus was on helping them increase their sales. The more money my clients make, the more money I’ll make… it’s called mutual growth and it works great!
Clients who only care about how much a service cost really miss out because they are so focused on creating relationships that “save them money” that they forget about forging relationships that will “make them money”. What I loved about having my 3D animation studio was that I would often deal with customers who were at the top of their game GLOBALLY, innovating and creating new market segments… they were solely focused on growth, creating new opportunities and ways for their customers to increase their bottom line. Sure, some had crazy deadlines but they were always met and updates were fast and furious… they knew where a project was at all times so they were part of the process from the start. To get an idea of how deep this is engrained, realize that CNCKing.com has over a thousand blog posts and I’m writing this post even before CNCROI.com officially launches or even receives its first piece of machinery!
Mutual growth is a far more difficult way to build a business – most businesses, at their detriment, treat customer like cattle, let them come-in, brand them then send them off to the slaughter-house… mutual growth means that I’m available at any time, for any project, essentially as someone they can bounce ideas off of, using my network to help their network. If you are interested in having some awesome work completed for your business – I’m there! Customers have my personal cell phone to call me anytime, day or night… I treat them the way I want to be treated and it’s never an interruption to find new ways to work together for our mutual growth. Many of my clients became close friends that I talk to even today… long after my services are no longer required!
This philosophy is why the studio was successful while I ran it and why CNCROI.com will be equally as successful upon launch in a few months.
Being there for the customer
I can’t remember the number of times a customer would call me back in the day with an issue – positive or negative – and knowing how important it was to them, telling them clear their schedule (I’d clear mine) and that I was coming over to help them NOW. They were always astonished… one at the speed I was willing to meet with them and two, the fact that I wasn’t billing them for my time! Where other businesses would charge less and put the customer on the meter as soon as they called, think your typical lawyer, I never had a meter, I was upfront that I’m here for them and when they need me, I’ll be there. Depending on the level of severity, I was either there within half an hour or a few days down the road… but I was there!
This is why it’s vital to pick and chose your client base and not let your customers chose you. I always saw business in this manner – it isn’t about you paying me and then it’s over until you need me again, it’s about building a solid foundation of trust and when I come-up with an idea that can help you with sales or marketing – I’m right there helping to make it happen!
Custom CNC Production
As with my 3D animation studio – my focus is on the custom end of things – sure, we’ll offer a host of general services as most shops do to keep the lights on – but for the long-term, you have to strike your own iron and become the absolute best in the industry and that means taking chances… LOTS OF CHANCES… and that comes from custom work. I’m a huge fan of many shows that mix business with totally awesome project builds… from Orange County Chopper to West Coast Customs… take on stuff that’s way over your head, push people to the limit and exceed customer expectations is how I build my businesses!
Watch this video and realize that Ryan is taking a massive chance that no other shop wants to take – customizing a Maybach and just about anything that could go wrong, does… but that’s what makes businesses fun to work in and with… the challenges that come about when you are fording new ground without any lifelines. This is the kind of stuff I love! When other people say “I don’t know…. “, I love saying “ABSOLUTELY!” This is how you build a global brand, taking on projects that nobody else in their right mind would do!
Where other 3D animation studios in Toronto would offer their customer logos in 3D, we were offering complete 3D machine animations… it was tough! It took crazy hours back then… but the results were awesome and i3DS quickly developed into a brand. This was during the infancy of the internet, when computers had as much power as your typical cell phone and… there was no Skype, international phone calls cost a fortune but, I was there, I was able to produce awesome work and best of all, our work was featured at trade shows around the world at the time!
Not cutting corners
When starting up a new business, it’s easy to think about ways to cut corners but I’ve come to learn that quite often, these decisions bite you in the ass once you actually get projects and production flowing… this is especially true with vital equipment. Sure, I could have bought a cheaper Trotec laser, one with less bells and whistles, smaller platform or even that of another manufacturer but I knew I needed a SOLID machine that could easily handle all the work I send to it, was endlessly malleable to changing demands, was the number one in its class and dependable with global customer support. I know that if I ever have a problem, Trotec is just a phone call away anytime of day or night and with their Canadian head office less than an hour away, available to help me and my customers with bringing to fruition any ideas they may have.
It’s like my other business, CNCKing.com – which my Speedy 400 will help tremendously as well – it has very much become a global brand, I didn’t cut corners making generic designs, I focused on making awesome stuff… models that will gain attention, models that are STRONG and OVERBUILT, models that mirror my philosophy about business in general.
I can’t wait to have all the pieces together and being able to help my customers far and wide!
