Are you letting granite countertops guide your business decisions?
In the decision process, there’s usually a deal breaker. It’s the one thing that you “must have,” and if it’s not there you’re ready to walk away.
For a lot of home buyers, it’s granite countertops. If you’ve ever watched any of the programs dedicated to helping buyers find their dream house, you know they come with a list of “must haves.” Often a decision to purchase can hinge on the presence or absence of granite countertops.
When it comes to business, you believe you’re capable of making good decisions. What you don’t realize is that you might be allowing granite countertops to guide your decisions.
Biases, Expectations, and Preferences
Granite countertops are just an example of a bias, expectation, or preference that can affect a final decision.
Today’s kitchens are the most important room in the house, and granite countertops say luxury – you can afford it. They fulfill the expectation of value, durability, and beauty. And if you already love the granite countertops you have, then the preference for having them in a new home is even stronger. So strong in fact that they can sway a decision to purchase while paying less attention to a potentially serious leak in the basement.
However, can you function in a kitchen that doesn’t have granite countertops? Yes. You may want granite countertops for their aesthetics, but an alternative can fill the need just as well.
When Your Brain Decides Your Business Decisions
When it comes to making decisions, your brain usually defaults to your biases, expectations, and preferences before considering alternatives. Be they conscious or unconscious, they are what gives you the safe feeling of familiarity, confirms your ideas on how things should be and makes you feel comfortable with your decision.
Even when there are alternatives that offer good options, you may find yourself rationalizing your decision by thinking
- No one knows better than me what I want
- I can’t be bothered to consider all the other possibilities; it’s easier to go with what I know
- My choice makes the most sense under the circumstances
- The price may be more expensive, but I’m willing to go for it and get this decision made
Decision to Upgrade Your Laptop
Let’s say you want to upgrade to a new laptop for your business. You’re happy with your current brand and model but want to take advantage of their new updated features.
Your decision is already being swayed by friends who have upgraded. But to be fair, you also do a Google search on reviews before heading to the big box store.
At the store, the salesperson tells you how great this new version is. He points out all the new features that including more apps and greater bandwidths for gaming. He even tells you that, even though it costs more, this is the one he recommends to all his customers and even uses it himself.
This laptop is the same brand. It already has the features you’re familiar with so why so why not upgrade to the newest version even if it costs more?
You’re About to Buy a Granite Countertop
Before you jump in and buy, realize you’re about to buy a granite countertop based on your biases, expectations, and preferences.
Here’s how to avoid a granite countertop decision when it comes to business.
#1 Check if your “must-have” is a need or a want
Needs are what’s critical to performance. Wants are what you desire but don’t necessarily need.
Having your own “must have” list of features that you really need and are relevant to your business will help you narrow your choices and focus on the right decision.
#2 Know your biases, expectations, and preferences
It helps to have a sense of what your biases, expectations, and preferences are. You naturally want to gravitate to things that are easy and comfortable to use. However, sticking with what you know rather than considering other possibilities could limit what you are able to do in the future. Your may find yourself outside your comfort zone, but you want to make sure you’re considering the alternatives before making your final decision.
#3 Don’t totally rely on what others say
Relying on someone else’s opinions can be a problem They have their own biases, expectations, and preferences which may not be the same as yours. Therefore, it’s easy to get distracted by friends raving about the features that interest them. If they’re not using it for business the way you do business, then you need to give it a performance test. See for yourself if this new version is really going to make your business function better and increase profits.
#4 Consider best possible price
Just because you’ve always used this particular brand of laptop, doesn’t mean other brands can’t give you the features that meet you “must have” list. There’s a lot of competition. It pays to compare to see if you are getting what you really need at the best possible price.
#5 Ask yourself the can I afford it question
Make sure you understand your costs. Is a high-end purchase worth the investment in your business at this time? Or, does it make more sense to wait, until prices come down?
The Smartest Business Decision You Can Make
It’s easy to decide to get the newest, the best and the one everyone is talking about. Just like a granite countertop, it looks good but does it really meet your “must have” needs at this time? Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t.
If you’re willing to take the time to consider your business “must have” needs first, then that ‘s the smartest business decision you can make.
Have you ever made any granite countertop decisions in your business?
Image: Pixabay 670247
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Love the granite counter top as a deal breaker, Joyce. I admit I do a lot of research before zeroing in on a purchase that I intend to use for a long time. For me the deal breaker is the after sales service.
There are so many unconscious habits that are not really thought out with only the brain. An old habit may not be what is best now using what the heart and body has learned over time. I meditate on all my decisions now and do not follow the crowd as I really listen on what is best for me.
Thank you Joyce!.
Granite tops are not what makes a kitchen, the people are and they need to feel welcome, loved and at home.
We like to think decisions should be logical, but in reality, the best ones are those that come from our inner self. Meditating on a decision is a good way to go. And, right you are granite countertops have nothing to do with how we share with family and friends.
“#1 Check if your “must-have” is a need or a want” – GREAT advice.
Yup, if you start with knowing if it is a need or a want, the rest of decision process is much clearer.
Coming to you from the Virtual Brainstorming FB group. There have been many times I’ve purchased the granite countertop in my personal life and business. The key for me is researching the BEST option for me and my next best step. It’s through my jumps, hurdles and learning that I can ask better questions to get to the right level of countertop material for myself!
Tandy, sounds like you’ve developed a plan for best options and best next steps and better questions. Congratulations.
My wise father in law always said, “it is better to have 75% of what you want than to lose 100% of it by refusing to negotiate your position. I love the 5 ways to avoid a granite countertop decision- Solutions to the problem.
Elder advice has a lot to offer. Lucky you had a wise father-in-law.
I love this post, Joyce. I watch those shows and always laugh at how people let something like a countertop or even a paint color influence their decision. In addition to is it a need or a want, as you so rightly point out, but for me it seems so silly to base a (for ex) million dollar decision on a $3,000 item. Look at the HOME, not the small, changeable details. IMHO, of course!
Yes, I’m always fascinated on the final decision choice. Especially, when they pick one house apart more that the others, and that’s the one they decide on in the end. It also makes you wonder sometimes if the marriage is going to last when each has such strong feelings about wanting certain things.
So sorry Joyce, I no sooner hit the publish button when I realized I screwed up your name. I just commented on a fellow blogger’s site and her name was Joan. That’s what I get for trying to handle all my syndications at one time. 🙂
No problem. Just think of your brain being momentarily hung up on the letter “J”.
What a great post Joan and you’ve really given us a lot to think about. I’m normally a very thoughtful buyer, but there’s no question in my mind that there have been occasions when I’ve fallen for a granite countertop. Thanks so much for shining a light on that little challenge. 🙂
I think we’ve all been caught up, one time or another, on what glitters. But, when the price is high, it’s good to step back and figure out what’s really important.
I think it’s very easy to let feelings persuade you when making decisions. They say we make decisions based on feelings and then justify them with logic. Ha! For me, the best way to make a decision is to ask God what to do and then follow His advice.
Good for you Carol. You’ve found a decision process that works for you. Yes, feeling a big component of making decision which of course can be a good thing or a bad thing. It’s really knowing what works for you the best.
Hello,
Thank You for the post and think it’s very helpful and made me think of buissness in general. I liked the question Can you afford this? I was very simplistic but can really help your buissness with making good moves in increasing it.
Lori English
Asking if you can afford it or be willing to pay the price, should be on everyone’s decision list. But, often what’s on the top of the priority list gets the most attention. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Joyce for a wonderful post! Love the “granite countertop” similarities when making a decision……sometimes it is best to do what is right for you, then just because everyone else is doing it 🙂
Great share!!
Agree, Joan. What’s right for you should come first, but then many times people are influenced by what others are doing.
What a great analogy. And we just purchased granite countertops too! Seriously I can tend to jump in and not consider all the options. I have learned to do my research though and this helps a lot. Once I consider how I am going to use the product or equipment, the decision becomes easier. Recently I experienced this in reverse. I purchased a disc cutter (metalsmith tool) that was an economical price. Within a few months I realized that this ‘bargain’ was not an efficient tool for me. So I bit the bullet, sold it to another jeweler at a loss, and purchased the version made with US Steel. (at 3 times the cost) Best investment ever!