Your Worst Enemy Could Be You COLUMN BY RICHARD R. VENSEL Many rebuilders are still having a rough time. Some are closing their doors and others are doing OK. Why? The rebuilders that are doing OK looked for the enemy and found it was themselves. Then they did what it took to defeat their enemy. They quit complaining and blaming everyone else and blamed themselves. Then they took action to correct their problems. Here are a few of their findings: Pricing: ¢ Older units were priced too low. ¢ New units were priced too low. «They could buy popular units cheaper than they could build them. Marketing: ¢ They were trying to keep pace with the Joneses instead of pushing what they did best—the old and the newest. They went to their cus- tomers that were buying the popu- lar units from someone else and said, “Good, give us what you need in a hurry and can’t wait for or that someone just needs repaired.” ¢ They advertised their special ser- vices like, “Fast Turnaround Time.” ¢ They listened to their customers’ needs and met them. Business today is not like it was a few years ago and may never be that way again. You are in control of your future and if you do what you do best and listen, there is still a good living to be made now and for a long time to come. Richard Vensel is owner of Vensel Enterprises, Crystal Lake, IL.