Parkinson’s Law states that, “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” This means that the more time we dedicate to a task, the longer it’ll take us to complete it, even if we could have gotten the task completed in a shorter period of time.

Have you noticed that when stakes are high and you have to deliver, you can do the same task that normally takes you a day to complete in just four to five hours? This is Parkinson’s Law in action and it’s could be one of the most powerful productivity principles of all time.

For instance, if you give yourself five hours to do a task – having proven that you can do it in five hours previously, giving yourself less time to complete the same work will get that same work done despite having less time available.

This shows we often optimize our concentration powers, hinting at just how powerful we are.

Parkinson’s Law has become increasingly popular in business and workplace spectrums. Not because it sounds good, but also because you can easily test it yourself and see if it’s true.

Here’s how to use Parkinson’s Law to increase productivity by as much as 70%.

1. Deliver Extraordinary Service

This is what makes the most successful companies unique and different. However, saying isn’t enough. You must deliver an extraordinary service that your customers can’t get anywhere else.

For example, look at a company like FleetFeet. They custom fit running shoes, they observe how their customers walk or run, and they recommend the best shoes depending on how the customers pronate. They even allow customers to run in the parking lot with the shoes to see how they fit and feel. Also, they let customers return their shoes weeks or months later if they don’t work out.
Link for more information – https://www.fleetfeet.com/catalogs/fit-process

If a customer experiences any problems with their shoes, the company refunds them and they assist them in selecting the most appropriate pair. After that extraordinary experience, why would that customer buy shoes anywhere else?

So, if you want to beat your competitors, don’t focus on being the best; instead, focus on being unique. You can be unique and different if you think about offering extraordinary service to your customers that goes beyond what your competitors are offering.

2. Address Customer Needs

If you want to impress your customers, the best way to do that is to meet their needs and desires. For instance, if you’re like most people, you hate going to the dentist. The smell, the lights, and the sounds of drills don’t make for a great experience. This is why many people avoid going altogether.

However, Dental Bliss wanted to change that experience and solve this problem. So, they created a dental practice with a spa-like atmosphere.

Their patients enjoy refreshments (like wine!) and get a massage as they wait for their appointments. And as patients are being treated, they can wear noise-canceling headphones to avoid hearing dental tool noises.
Link for more information – http://dentalbliss.com/our-story/

This dental practice has gone far and beyond to ease all the barriers and pain points to give their patients the best experience. So if you want to grow your business fast, think about how you can solve common problems for your customers; this’ll help you stand out from the competition.

3. Do Business Differently from Your Competitors

Doing business differently than your competitors will help to be stand out. Find and exploit holes in your competitors’ business strategy; this is the best way to be unique.

Get into the habit of analyzing your competitors regularly. Find out the products/services they offer, how much they sell them for and how they run their company. This information can make your business stand out from the rest. For instance, if a competitor sells a product at a low price, you can lower your price.

Remember, your goal should be to give customers a reason to do business with you and this could be one way to help achieve this goal.

When looking at your competitor’s business strategy, don’t just copy what they have. Instead, focus on their weaknesses and see how you can improve on them. Being innovative will help your business become better and different. How you can do the same thing differently?

4. Give a Powerful Offer or Guarantee

Offers and guarantees are the best ways to reduce the perceived risk of buying your products/services. Removing the reluctance for making a purchase can generate more sales. Also, a guarantee will make your company seem more trustworthy and likable.

For example, Zappos is famous for its one-year-long return policy. This eliminates the barrier to buy their shoes because you can take a whole year to decide whether you want to keep them. Plus, they offer free shipping both ways.
Link for more information – https://www.zappos.com/general-questions#return

For instance, you can make sure you answer every email or social media query within one or two hours. This will improve your responsiveness, and it will give customers more reason to contact you and do business with you.

Innovation is a common characteristic among successful organizations. If your business is innovative and unique, it’ll grow fast. So, if you want to take your business to the next level, focus on being unique, and don’t copy your competitors’ business strategy.