Here’s a Best Practice for you: try networking on Linkedin.com. For some unknown reason, probably divinely inspired, I received two emails today from people that wanted me to join their network. I started a profile months ago, but as a result of todays email I put a little more effort into it. I even uploaded my photo…. and then surfed the site. I was impressed enough I paid the $10 for a month of paid service. See how a “Best Practice” earns my business? No doubt the owners are having a few beers because I’m so free with my money….
So there I was, surfing LinkedIn.com, and I stumbled upon the “Answers” section where a user was asking about “Best Practices.” Well, like so many things in life, it brought me back to another time and place, back when “Best Practices” were all the rage.
See, I worked at Arthur Andersen when Thomas B. Kelly, Charles Ketteman, Robert Hiebeler published the book.
My beliefs about so-called “Best Practices” haven’t changed much over the years, and admittedly it’s a little baffling to me how this concept has lasted so long. The IDEA of Best Practices seems to be a good one, but attainment of this Nirvana-like ideal is yet another story…. or is it?
Let’s start with how a given business practice somehow elevates to becoming a “Best Practice.”
- Somebody important, or somebody that thinks they are important, observes a business practice.
- Important person suggests the practice is a “Best Practice” because it appears to be better than other practices they have seen.
- Others agree.
- Somebody decides to promote the practice as a “Best Practice.”
That’s all it takes. One person calling it a “Best Practice” and a few others thinking it’s a good idea. Experts love to get close to “Best Practices” because it makes them feel good and look good. Andersen sold a lot of consulting projects because of the book, and I still can’t tell you why “Best Practices” are any more than “Potentially Good Ideas for Your Business.”
The reality is that every business is different from any other. What may be a “Best Practice” is often impractical in another, simply because of organizational, infrastructure, or capital constraints – to name a very few.
There is no third party or impartial judge as to whether a business employs a best practice or not. When it comes to “Best Practices,” the world simply relies on word of mouth and press in the media. The most publicized Best Practices are promoted, while the BEST Best Practices quietly operate in businesses everyday, without a lot of fuss and hyperbole.
It doesn’t matter how many best practices a company has – what really matters is whether or not Customers are LOYAL (not merely satisfied.) I wish I could count all of the Best Practices I’ve seen that have little or nothing to do with building Customer Loyalty. I think that might be a great chapter in my book….
Just to balance this a little – of course there are practices out there that are innovative and better than others in some way. And, finding a hammer when you need a hammer is great. Best Practices, by whatever name, are simply tools in the toolbox. Tools are just tools. Business success relies on Employees using the RIGHT tools to Deliver what the Customer needs.
I agree with you, Greg. A company can overlook the idea that just because something is a best practice for one company does not mean it is a best practice for their company. It does not take into account their customers, industry, culture, and so forth. The true best practice is the one that makes the employees and customers thrive and stay LOYAL!