Who is your competition?

Competition...Competition is a funny thing. It is embraced by some and rejected by some. It can bring people together or drive a wedge between. It can spur on better performance or lead to self doubt when not measuring up. Funny thing though, if you lead a ministry, sell a product, offer a service, or have any interaction with people to reach a specific goal you are competing whether you like it or not. Regardless if you are a pastor, teacher, waitress, or salesman you have competition at your front door and you would be wise to know how you measure up.

In the past month I have had interaction with 3 organizations that directly compete with me in my job of ministry to families and kids. You may think this "competition" comes from other churches in the area or from other organizations that seek to reach people with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. However the three organizations I am talking about have nothing to do with the church, in fact they have nothing to do with the message of salvation. Thanks to a great book I am leading my team through, I was able to notice first hand who my competition is this past month when I interacted with Apple Computer, Disney, and Livermore Auto and Tire. Surprised? So was I at first until I started reading "Inside the Magic Kingdom : Seven Keys to Disney's Success" The lesson in Chapter 3 is this: "The competition is anyone the customer compares you with."

Here's what I found.

3 Examples

• A few nights ago I went by the Apple store because I had a problem with a computer and I needed Apple to look at. Do you know I almost enjoyed my experience? The guy behind the Genius Bar set the standard high from the beginning. I was the customer and he made sure I was satisfied with my experience. He took his time with me making sure I knew exactly what he was doing. Not once did I feel as though what my computer was doing was my fault (it wasn't my fault but that is for another post). He quickly and efficiently worked with my computer and I left the store with an experience that raised the bar for me. The next time I interact with a company I need help from no matter if its is apple or another company I will compare it with interactions like this one. (It's not the first good experience)

• My wife and I have been into a local auto shop here in our home town twice in the last week getting her car looked at for 2-3 little issues. Without boring you on the details the guys in this shop are obviously about customer service. Normally a trip to the mechanic is right up there with going to the dentist for me. However since finding this shop 2-3 years ago its been a different story entirely. From top to bottom these guys raise the bar not just for other mechanics, but for anyone that has the tough job of explaining complex concepts to me that I have to pay to have repaired.

• If you know me at all you should have seen this third example coming, but when it comes to raising the bar with customers and people in general who better to study than Disney? The book my staff and I are reading dives into this company specifically and seeks to identify what they do to succeed in this important area. Without going into ALL the details, what other company can you think of that raises the bar so high? The ridiculously high rate of return guests, the living breathing person who answers the phone when you call that sounds as if they are your best friend, the cast member who will notice you dropped your ice cream in the park and go out of their way to replace it, or the fact that such a large number of guests leave the park each day and they are HAPPY (even with long lines, heat, and a crying kid). Talk about raising the bar!

These companies set the bar at an amazingly high level! Do you know people who frequent these organizations or places like them? Think back to the last bar raising customer service experience you had. If you are in the world of working to attract people to your product, convince people to use your service, or impact them with the truth of the gospel you had better keep these and other competitors like them in mind. The people you interact with are comparing you to them.

Regardless of your occupation, who are people comparing you or your organization with and do you raise or lower the bar for them?

*Ministry Focus: This world is full of amazing products that are being sold and top notch entertainment options waiting for people to enjoy. As a pastor to kids and families I am called to reach people with a message that I feel far outweighs anything else. If you are in ministry as well then this post is that much more important for you. We have a product that has eternal significance. Shouldn't we make sure we are using the creativity, drive, passion, and determination that God gave us to make sure that every time someone interacts with us we are raising the bar for them? Shouldn't the church be the model of what it means to have GREAT customer service? Sadly there are way too many stories of people turning away from the church or never hearing the truth of Jesus in the first place because the Church did nothing to raise the bar. In fact more often than not, the church is responsible for lowering the bar. What are you doing to communicate that Jesus Christ is worth it?