The new rules to gaining an edge on the competition

If you've gotten comfortable in the way you do business, change things up a little. The famous last words of any company are, "but we've always done it that way." If you really want to gain an edge on the competition, then you've got to follow some rules.

I took the liberty of re-writing those rules for you.

Old rule #1: Learn from your competition

New rule: learn from your customers. Businesses can get so caught up in what their competitors are doing that they overlook who matters most: the customers. Keep track not only of written and verbal feedback, but also patterns in sales and profit.

Old rule #2: Gain a competitive advantage

New rule: maintain your competitive advantage. Stop trying to find the newest, latest and greatest and stick with what's working for you already. Maintaining the best assets of your business gets shoved to the backburner when you're too focused on trying to acquire what's next in technology and trends.

Old rule #3: Seek new information

New rule: create new information. Staying updated in the industry is good, but being a thought leader in the industry is great. Start a blog for your HVAC business and enlist a few savvy employees to contribute.