You know they're out there. In your mind, you can hear them tapping away at their laptops while you've shut down for the night. Fact is, they're probably sending emails and making phone calls to your clients right now. This means knowing what they're up to, what they're charging, who they're getting work from and how. You might even be friendly with some of your competitors, but you've still got to keep tabs on them.
Business is business.
When Bob Steiner, a restaurant consultant based in Amagansett, N.Y., launched Out East Restaurant Consultants a year ago, he was prepared to face off with some big companies. In order to compete with them, Steiner knew that Out East would have to outperform its competitors in some key areas. To this end, he sought to identify their weaknesses. I put all my information together as though I were a customer. I called and they told me I had to come to their office in Philadelphia to talk.