Consistent Mediocrity
I have a friend who owns a restaurant. Their food is absolutely amazing.....sometimes. The service is lightning fast.....sometimes. The hospitality is on point.....sometimes. My friend is constantly frustrated with people, exclaiming things like, "I don't understand why people don't support small businesses better!"
I'm going to let you in on a little secret today. People don't love chain restaurants. They aren't tripping over themselves to dine there. They don't tell everyone and their dog how these are the best restaurants on planet earth. Yet, every step of the way, people choose these chain restaurants over local joints. Why? People would rather have consistent mediocrity than inconsistent excellence.
Think about it. Do you really go to Starbucks because they are amazing? Probably not. Instead, you likely go to Starbucks because you can walk into any shop in the world and get YOUR drink. It might not be a great drink, but it's YOUR drink. Consistency matters.
This is a principle we all need to heed. Consistency, even with a mediocre product, influences people's behavior. This is one of the key reasons why small businesses regularly lose to big businesses. As business owners, as employees, as people of character, it's imperative that we pursue consistency in whatever we do. We owe it to the people around us to be consistent in our actions, offerings, and results. I'm as guilty as anyone for violating this principle. I need to be more consistent. People deserve that from me, and they deserve it from you.
At Northern Vessel, we have pioneered innovations on how to establish world-class consistency. We looked at the normal coffee shop model, turned it on its head, and reconstructed an entirely different way to serve people. Through that process, we've been able to pursue a dual-track path toward excellence and consistency. We're obsessed with it, and it fuels us every day of our lives. Offering our guests consistency is one of our core principles. We have people coming in from all over the country, so it's imperative that when they step foot into our shop, we serve them well. Yes, that applies to our hospitality, but it must also include their drink. They deserve it!
The same applies to you and whatever you offer. Be consistent. Lock in and find ways to stay there. Once there, iterate your offering until it's at a world-class level. Nobody else is doing this, so why not you? Make your mark. Change the game. Move the needle.
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