Tweet

Lesson #1: Service is the Secret to Success

Article Overview: Huizenga did not create three Fortune 1000 companies by accident. Nor was it simply luck that took him to the top. Instead, Huizenga implemented a formula for success that, through each of his ventures, has proven to work time after time. What was that formula?

Lesson #1: Service is the Secret to Success

Huizenga did not create three Fortune 1000 companies by accident. Nor was it simply luck that took him to the top. Instead, Huizenga implemented a formula for success that, through each of his ventures, has proven to work time after time. What was that formula?

It is no coincidence that all of Huizenga’s ventures were all focused on service industries. From garbage collection to video rentals to hotels to car dealerships, he specifically made the point of concentrating only on those service industries in which there was no foreseeable decline in demand, and where there would be a constant stream of recurring income. Even with Autonation, what would become one of the largest automobile dealerships in the nation, Huizenga did not open up a single manufacturing plant. Instead, he focused on providing a service to his customers.

It was not just the service industry that Huizenga was focusing on. It was providing quality service as well. In every industry that Huizenga entered, he insisted that his companies set a new standard of highly professional service. After all, if he was going to be providing a service that was already being provided by others, he would have to go above and beyond what his competition was doing.

Another key ingredient to Huizenga’s success was his focus on service and rental industries that were fragmented, and had poor service histories. He did not look for where others were achieving success and try to copy their model. Instead, he looked for where others were not making the profit that Huizenga believed they should be, and decided to give it a go himself.

“We're looking for something where we can make something happen: an industry where the competition is asleep, hasn't taken advantage,” he says. “It's going to be hard to find another Blockbuster, but that doesn't mean you can't have three good companies growing. The point is, we're going to be busy.”

To that end, his formula for success included the rapid acquisition of smaller disjointed companies in the industry, followed by the implementation of new service and performance standards. During Huizenga’s periods of acquisition, he made sure to impose close management control and direction throughout his expanding companies in order to ensure quality and profitable operation of each newly acquired individual local unit.

With each of his ventures, Huizenga’s reputation as a man focused on quality of service and hard work was further solidified. He was known as a manager who emphasized good old-fashioned hard work, always being the first one to arrive at work in the morning and the last one to leave at night.

It was through this strategy of focusing on fragmented businesses and industries with poor service histories that Huizenga was able to rapidly acquire struggling companies, quickly build a reputation for quality service, and grow each of his ventures from million to billion dollar companies that are successful around the world.

By focusing on both service industries and providing quality service, Huizenga was able to turn a single garbage truck operation into the world’s largest waste disposal company and a small video rental store chain into one of the most well-known companies in the U.S. By repeating his proven formula time after time, Huizenga was able to become the billionaire business magnate that he is today.

Related Articles
  The secret to success
  Who Is Your Proud Family?
  Your Secret to Internet Marketing Success
  4 Top Secrets To Successfully Starting A Home Business
  What is the Secret of Success?

Article Tags: achieving success, automobile dealerships, autonation, blockbuster, car dealerships, coincidence, decline, formula for success, fortune 1000 companies, garbage collection, hotels, lesson 1, manufacturing plant, professional service, quality service, service histories, time after time



Related Forum Posts
Re: Success - I study success intently, and would like to share: Here's two excellent and nearly identical success-formulas from a couple of the world's masters. FIRST FORMULA: 1. Passionate Desire 2. Clear, Definite Purpose 3. Committed Decision 4. Take Action In Faith (Bonus Secret Sauce: 5. Repeat Consistently) I made a video about this, but am not allowed to link it yet. Google "Ryze Success Steps" for it. Oh, and this is Napoleon Hill's (Master Of Success Laws)'s Formula. SECOND FORMULA: 1. Passionate Desire 2. Understand It Is Already Done (Faith) 3. Relax & Allow It To Unfold (Go about your life calmly) This one is courtesy of Abraham-Hicks (inspiration for the movie The Secret). Hope that helps!
Re: Service Or Product? - I agree with starting a Service-based Business in the economy. Here is what I think is critical: 1. Researching that your Service business has a market. 2. Marketing the Service with as much leverage as possible. 3. Product-izing the Service (aka Package Expert Knowledge). This will only help elevate you as "the" expert in your niche and make you accessible to people in different price points.
Re: Web Business Podcast is LIVE! :) - Hi David - have you thought of making these into videos? Even if it doesn't have you live on screen? Remembering the Success Secret Keywords would be a lot easier if we could see them.
Victoria's Secret - Too Sexy? - This will be upsetting for some men. I just heard a report about Victoria's Secret and it was interesting. Their sales were down drastically in the 4th quarter of 2007 and the report was about how they are thinking the company has gotten too far away from the heritage that made it the blockbuster company it is. They are thinking the ads etc have become too sexy and the plan (at the moment) is to make the ads more sophisticated. That would be like the Super Bowl commercial which was very tasteful, but very different from any Victoria's Secret I've seen lately. Who do you all think the current sexy ads are targeting? I think its the men that they hope will buy these items for their female significant others. I hate to give Omarosa any kudos - but most women aren't "sold" on an item by an ad of a near naked sexy woman. Shri
The Secret - Hi Binary Guy - The Secret certainly has been getting a lot of attention and promotion by the likes of Oprah. What have your experiences been with the program?


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Google Panda and Your Search Engine Rankings

How To Improve Your CTA (Call To Action)

SEO and the Entrepreneur

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.