When thinking about the business development lessons a big company can teach a growing business, the military probably doesn’t come to mind right away. But you may be surprised at how much your business development plan can benefit from looking at what the Army does well, says Elaine Dumler, author of I’m Already Home … Again and The Road Home. The fact is, the Army employs a workforce of thousands and has processes in place for getting the job done in many different situations. Here are three things the Army excels at, and the lessons they offer for you and your company in the business development process:

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1. Provide resources and training. The first priority of the Army is to have a well-trained force, and they provide what’s necessary to complete a job. When the military has a budget cut, training doesn’t take a hit — lives rely on good training. Most businesses don’t acknowledge the importance of training. When the economy suffers and belts need to be tightened, the first thing eliminated is training. How is that productive? You’re trusting the future of your company to individuals who aren’t properly prepared to work in your best interest.

2. Retain current customers. The Army has learned that retention saves money. It’s important to keep a soldier because it costs more to recruit and train new soldiers than to retain personnel. It’s the same with your customers. Customer loyalty is extremely important in these economic times. Try a promotion that focuses on your current customers. Make them feel special with retention bonuses or loyalty discounts. A strong customer base is the foundation of your business.

3. Respect leadership. The Army respects experience and leadership. Immediate critical decisions are made by individuals who have experienced the situation before. Leadership and experience should be important to your company too. In a time of budget cuts, the first employees laid off are often those who have been there the longest and have the largest salaries. If you are constantly lopping off the top, you will suffer the loss of your most experienced experts. Show that you respect experience as a core value, because as you grow, your current leaders will train your leaders of tomorrow.

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