In the past I've come across many business owners who complained they just didn't have enough customers, and that was the reason why their business was struggling. Time and again I looked around and saw customers everywhere - it's just that sometimes the not so obvious as the ones who walk into your business.

Many baristas/coffee shop owners live under the illusion that because they are well-versed in the mechanics of coffee-making, success is somehow guaranteed. And they assume that any entrant into the field who is not an expert will fail. But having coffee-making or cooking skills is just one part of success.

 At the risk of being labelled by some of my readers, I come to a subject which is the 'big purple moosehead sitting on the middle of the dining table'. We can pretend it does not exist, but sooner or later someone must ask 'what is that doing there?'

And so it is with what I am about to say - and the best way to say it is to remind you of the term 'Horses for Courses' In simple terms, not every horse is suited to all racecourses. Likewise you must be a suitable fit for your business.

What do I mean?

When I enter a business, these are amongst the first questions I ask to gauge its pulse.

1. Do you have a business plan?
2. What's different about your business plan?
3. Do you have a structured training program for all aspects of your business?
4. Hand on heart can you guarantee that every product is being served up with absolute consistency and best possible quality to your customers?
5. Do you know your financial status to the minute?
6. Do you have a budget? - So you know your overall GP or Net margins?
7. Do you know the cost to the cent of your goods, and how to calculate your retail prices?
8. Do you have time for yourself and to spend with your family?
9. If you are not in your business, do things tend to fall apart or are not completed to your satisfaction?
10. What are 5 reasons why customers should come to you?
11. Do you dominate your local market? i.e. over 20% of the local sales?
12. Are you continuing to grow sales in double digits - even in this economic climate?
13. Are you happy?
14. Is this everything you dreamed about?

Consumers have come to enjoy unlimited choice being offered to them by businesses. This trend has been driven by large corporations who benefit from the addition of top-line revenue for every new product they can deliver to the marketplace. These large corporations have the infrastructure, array of employees and the distribution network to be able to deliver a variety of products. The question is whether variety, or choice, is a great thing for small business.