Why 'bigger' is not necessarily 'better'.

In the world of business, we have seen companies make the mistake in assuming that "bigger" (as in more revenue, more locations, more "buzz") is "better." We know this is an error in perception, having found our own relatively small size to actually lend us many competitive advantages over larger competitors. The key to unlocking this potential in your own small business? It's OK to be small, provided you Think Big.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dynamic Computer operates in an industry where we find ourselves going head-to-head with giants in our space, like technology solutions providers Dell and CDW. We battle the stigma attached to the "small business" quite effectively, however. When approaching a prospect or problem-solving with an existing customer, we welcome the challenge to prove that our company's size is not prohibitive to excellence in service. By leveraging a set of assets unique to the smaller organization-flexibility, responsiveness, highly customized attention and an empowered staff-we have found that maintaining long-term business relationships is as much about the credit we give ourselves as it is about third-party validation.

An example of this philosophy in action is the problemsolving we undertook for a large client in the health-care market. This client came to us needing to customize brand name computers to specifications compatible with their existing systems. They had recently ended a vendor relationship with one of the largest computer hardware resellers in the industry due to a series of disappointments-the reseller, despite multiple attempts at the client communicating its need for a highly customized solution, repeatedly sent the client the wrong system. To work through the issue, the client was funneled through the type of heavy bureaucracy often found at giant organizations.

Also, due to U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandates, this client's systems are subject to a tightly regulated lifccycle, which dictates their hardware technology be updated on a regular schedule. Adhering to this lifecycle regulation is non-negotiable; it is critical to the client's ability to operate. The client's former reseller was not able to assist them with pro-active lifecycle management, a service that would have taken some of the worry out of running their business.

Finally, this client was in need of a partner who, when called upon, could turn on a dime to fulfill an order. Blood centers, for example, depend on this client's equipment for sample testing but, of course, cannot afford downtime. This means that, likewise, the client cannot afford the downtime of the standard 24-hour turnaround rate offered by our industry's largest resellers. When a blood center is in need of critical new equipment, the time it takes to wade through a mammoth organizational structure simply to obtain approval on special shipping is time the center doesn't have.

So, what could we offer that this Fortune 500 could not? Reliability and responsiveness. Our sales team is encouraged to listen and empowered to offer creative solutions. We were able to understand the client's specific technology needs and deliver what they requested the first time around. We also believe in going the extra mile, often offering services that are highly specialized to meet a customer's needs. As such, their lifecycle monitoring requirement was something we immediately--without needing to run through a lengthy chain of internal approvals--agreed we could provide. Finally, we have the flexibility and the drive as a small company to personalize down to the finest details, like shipping. We can guarantee a much quicker order shipping fulfillment--even if we need to work through the night to do it--than our larger peers.

If the price of entry is offering a full product line, then our secret weapon is our commitment to customer service. Frankly, there is a need for us to go the extra mile. We recognize this circumstance as one of those challenges that is not a struggle, but rather an opportunity to shine. With less clutter to cut through in order to accommodate their needs, we showed our client that they could have the best of both worlds: the same capabilities of an industry giant, with greater emphasis on truly meeting their needs.

Today, I sit on the Supplier Diversity Council for this company and am reaping huge benefits in terms of relationship equity from our commitment to going the extra mile. When the customer receives innovative solutions that cater to their unique issues and desires, the power of Thinking Big is clear.

By Farida Ali

Vice President

Dynamic Computer Corp. Inc.

Farmington Hills-based Dynamic Computer Corp. Inc. is a member of the Detroit Regional Chamber. To share your company's success story with Detroiter readers, call [phone] or e-mail: [e-mail].