In an environment of instability, distinguishing yourself from the competition can mean everything – first dibs on skilled workers, better access to attractive clients, and an upper hand on market changes. To do so, you'll need a plan that's better than their plan. 

The good news is, this is old news. Serious planning has been the key to winning since the beginning of time. But most companies don't take it seriously. 

In the 5th century BC, Sun Tzu's The Art of War offered a blueprint for strategic planning in an environment where the stakes were higher than economic instability. The stakes were life and death. If you had a winning plan (in this case, a military plan) you survived. If not...

Sun Tzu taught that the key to winning was information. Specifically, information about, "the way, the weather, the terrain, the leadership, and discipline." From a business perspective, the most important information to your company begins at the point of your company's value. 

And who determines your company's value? We argued in a prior article that the driving purpose of all industry leaders that have stood the test of time is the noble cause of serving customers profitably. Simply put, developing your business plans should start with input from your customers. 

There might not be a cheaper, plainer way to create an edge over your competitors than to have real conversations with the people who determine your company's value. If these conversations are already happening at your company, find out if the phone call or meeting is about negotiating an order or earnestly enlisting their insight. 

Imagine your customer is the reason for your business' existence. Wouldn't you want to be in close contact with them, seeking to understand their true needs and values? Wouldn't you want to partner with them?

For those of you who have next year's annual plan well underway, how much direct customer input have you gathered? It's not by accident that the first driver of Economic Engagement is customer engagement. 

Speaking with customers – not to sell them something, but to ask for their input – is an amazingly valuable activity that far too few companies take advantage of. What customers value continues to change, so talking with your customers needs to become a habit. 

But think of it as a profitable habit; because so few companies do really ask their customers for input, customers inevitably appreciate being asked, and reward those who ask with more repeat and referral business.

Examples of the value of this approach are many, but three examples from my decades of coaching experience come to mind:

• My brother Bob acquired Wellman Inc., a company that recycled used nylon carpet to make nylon pellets for injection molding, primarily for automotive applications. For a few years, I acted as his VP of Sales and Marketing. The first step in our planning process was to invite Ford representatives to tell us what their priorities were, so we could better serve them. Their surprise and delight were palpable – none of their other suppliers had ever done so. Their input and subsequent support drove incredible growth in orders.
• Nick Nelson is the president of CTW Logistics, a company doing a roll-up in the logistics industry. (Full disclosure, I am invested in this company.) So far, the company has acquired three others and plans to acquire many more. Nick has been reaching out to customers to ask not only what they value, but where they would like to see specific growth to serve them better. "The response has been incredible. By treating customers like partners, they begin to act like partners. Repeat and referral business is escalating, and customers are even introducing us to companies they think we should acquire." The same is true internally – treating employees like partners is making them think and act like partners.
• Prue Pring and her husband David fabricate cabinets and countertops in Queensland, Australia. They assumed their customers' primary purchase criteria was price. But when Prue reached out to many of their customers, asking what was most important to them, most prioritized on-time delivery, quality, and responsiveness. The Prings gave it some thought, and it made a great deal of sense: jobs were significantly hurt if product did not arrive on time. David used that knowledge to improve his growth plans, and thus, profits.

Partner with your employees in the task of partnering with customers. When your employees build a direct line of understanding to the customer, they better understand how to drive company value and financial results. 

Give your employees an interview tool (like this script: What are your customers thinking) to keep everyone on the same page. 

Really probe to understand what your customer is saying. Be sincere. Then, follow up. Make good on the value you place on their input. You can expect one or two good referrals for every ten customers you really connect with.

On the other hand, if you are in a fragmented industry and are interested in being involved in a roll up (possibly as the hub), then I'd like to think of you as my customer and partner. Don't be afraid to reach out – planning starts with customers for me, too.

Inc