Growing up in a family business, I can remember my Grandad always talking about the competition.
He'd know what other businesses were charging, what contracts they'd won, what vehicles they'd bought and what they were doing next. Looking back, I think that's probably where I learned the importance of understanding your market.
Even today, I keep an eye on other businesses.
I think every business owner should.
Ignoring your competitors is a mistake because there's always something to learn. Sometimes they come up with a great idea. Sometimes they highlight a gap in the market. Sometimes they remind you what not to do.
But over the years, I've realised something.
Watching your competitors and competing with them are two very different things.
I've never believed that the way to win in business is by trying to beat everyone else.
Especially when it comes to price.
Every so often someone will say to me,
"I've had a cheaper quote elsewhere."
My answer is always honest.
"I completely understand, and I'd genuinely hate to lose your business. But the price we've quoted is the price we need to charge to make our business work."
Not because we're greedy.
Not because we think we're better than anyone else.
Because that's the price that allows us to deliver the service we believe in, invest back into the business and, most importantly, look after the people who make it all possible.
I've never wanted to be in a race to the bottom.
If another business can genuinely provide the same quality of service at a lower price, then good luck to them. Every business has different costs, different ambitions and different ways of operating.
But I won't reduce my prices simply to win a piece of work if it means compromising the long-term health of the business.
To me, that's not competition.
That's short-term thinking.
People often describe us as being a systems-driven company, and they're right. We rely on good systems because they help us deliver a consistent service.
But systems don't answer the phone.
Systems don't greet customers.
Systems don't solve problems.
People do.
That's why I've always believed our people are our greatest asset.
Every decision we make has an impact on them, and I never want to win work today if it creates problems for the business tomorrow.
In fact, the longer I've been in business, the more my thinking has changed.
Years ago, I probably believed success meant getting bigger.
More customers.
More vehicles.
More employees.
A bigger turnover.
These days, I see it differently.
I don't want to grow simply for the sake of saying we're bigger than we were last year.
I've learned that growth brings responsibility, and responsibility brings challenges. The more people you employ, the more responsibility you carry. No matter how good your systems are, you can never control every decision another person makes. Yet as a director, you're ultimately accountable when something goes wrong.
That's the reality of leadership.
It isn't about blame.
It's about responsibility.
So these days, I'm not trying to build the biggest business.
I'm trying to build the right business.
A business that's profitable.
A business that's sustainable.
A business where our customers trust us, our team feel valued and we can continue doing what we love without sacrificing the principles that got us here in the first place.
Do I pay attention to my competitors?
Absolutely.
Do I respect them?
Of course.
Do I want to beat them at any cost?
No.
Because I've come to realise that the only competition that really matters is whether we're becoming a better business than we were yesterday.