Letter on the Third — January 2023
Dear Datamax Family,
Our 2023 corporate theme “Never, Ever Give Up” is one that I strongly relate to. Giving up is not in my DNA. Even in golf, people joke that I’ll bite on their leg and never let go. When you think you are down, in sports, in life, and in business, things can change as long as you never give up. This coming year, I’d ask all of us to adopt that mindset.
I tell people here all the time, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
When I first came to Arkansas, there was an account that had one of our machines that the office manager wasn’t happy with. I met with the owner and he discussed the issues. My response? You’re not having issues with the equipment, you just need to be trained and have everyone on your staff trained. These machines were getting more sophisticated all the way back in 1985.
Nonetheless, I said, we want everyone to be happy. I wrote him a check for the equipment and brought it back, and told him this: “Whatever you do, get trained on it or you’ll be in the same boat, and the next dealer may not be as nice as we are. The man was flabbergasted that I gave him his money back.
90 days later, he called me. He told me I was right and asked if I could come to see him. Then he bought two machines from me, and they continued to buy from us as long as this man was in business.
Never, ever give up.
A challenge is not a roadblock. It’s simply a challenge.
If you want to grow your base 10 percent or make Presidents Club; if you want to hit certain numbers as a collector, or optimize your delivery schedule…. Write down those goals. Then challenge yourself, and work the plan. If you’re a service tech wanting to increase your knowledge on equipment, prepare accordingly. Map out the courses you want to complete. Work the plan.
Even when you’re up and winning, don’t stop. Things can always change.
Our managers have worked hard to put some great plans together for 2023. Now, it’s up to all of us to resist the temptation to consider our work done, and strategically set our course with those plans. Now it’s time to make it happen, and if the plan isn’t working, we adjust. Along the way, if in the months to come, you’ve hit your quota, and achieved ATSP or Pro-Tech, great. Don’t think you’ve arrived. Keep planning, keep going. As I’ve said before, we never truly “arrive.”
Lingering supply chain issues, economic uncertainties, the continued recovery from the unprecedented occurrences over the past two years: These are just a few of the challenges everyone will face in 2023. But whatever obstacle comes up, I’d encourage you to remember this: Refuse to let go. Never surrender. “Never Give Up. Never, Ever Give Up.”
The Best is Yet to Be.
