Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

It's Only Common Sense: Big Macs and PCBs—Do What You Do Well

Do you know exactly what you do and what your capabilities are? Most importantly, do you have a good handle on what you cannot do? This is key to your success; you must be real and authentic. You cannot “sell” what you cannot do. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But we all know that it’s not.

At one time or another we will all be tempted to take a leap of faith and try to do something we just cannot do. We might be tempted to try winning over a new customer, to impress or please a current customer, or we might just want to collect that big fat price that the customer is willing to pay to anyone who can build their challenging technology board.

It might work sometimes, but most of the time it’s a mistake that will leave everyone a loser—you and the customer both.

Remember the saying, “Jack of all trades and master of none?” Being a master of none leaves Jack a very unhappy boy.

In short, there are times where it makes perfect sense to stay in your own lane and do what you do best. Most of the time this is obvious. If you are a low volume, high mix PCB fab house, then stick to that. If you are a box build PCBA company, stay with that. In each case, changing lanes will take much more time, energy, and expense than you can afford. Never mind the overall lost opportunity cost that will come with trying to do something or be someone you are not.

Sticking with what you do well–and most importantly, what you are known for–is always a good idea. Do what you are known for, and you will do fine. Let me share a few examples of well-known companies who succeeded because they found something they were good at and they stuck with it.

McDonald’s is known for reliability and consistency. People go there because they know what to expect. You will get the same Big Mac in Portland, Maine, as you do in Portland, Oregon (except the people in Oregon will sneak over to get one in the dead of night, afraid of what their friends would say about them going to Micky D’s). That is what MacDonald’s is. They are not known for gourmet and healthy food, and they never will be no matter how hard they try.

My advice to McDonald’s (in case they’re asking): Stop trying to please the food snobs; they are going to hate you no matter what you do. Everybody says they hate the place but go to airports like O’Hare or Pittsburgh where there at least 20 other places to eat. The longest lines are always at McDonald’s because people know what to expect when they patronize the place.

Nordstrom’s is known for impeccable customer service and a “no questions asked” return policy. They are famous for refunding a person who was returning snow tires he had bought. They gave him his money back no questions asked—and they don’t even sell tires. (Disclaimer: The more I tell that story, the less I believe it. But it is what it is.)

L.L. Bean was famous for its lifetime guarantee. If you returned shorts you bought 10 years ago and told them you did not like them anymore, they would refund your money—receipt or no receipt. Alas, they no longer offer that incredible return policy since too many people were returning old L.L. Bean shorts they picked up for a few bucks at the Goodwill store.

The same applies to whatever business you are in. They go to you because they know what to expect. If you are a QTA PCB company known for short lead times, fast and never late, customers are going to count on you to provide them with those services and products. Those terms will hold you to a much higher on-time delivery standard than the PCB shop that builds the most difficult boards on the planet. Customers will expect those bleeding-edge shops to build whatever they need, no matter the technology. Their customers will just assume that they will get it done, because that’s what they are known for. But if they are late, the customer will accept it; building the toughest PCBs in the world means you might be late occasionally.

The complex-build shops are selling technology, while the QTA shops are selling time.

What are you selling, then? Regardless of the electronics industry examples that I have cited here, these rules of brand identity, reputation, and the products or services you are selling apply to all businesses. From the grocery store in Ohio who claims to have the cleanest restrooms in the world, to Maine Lobster Dock claiming the freshest and tastiest lobsters right off the boat: You are expected to be what you claim to be. So, whatever you claim, be the best that you can be.

But the point is still sharp: Do what you’re good at, not just what you tell people you’re good at.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.