Click the pic to debunk the myth.

No Comments »

Analysts say the way current events are going oil prices may not fall below $70/barrel for several months – and could go as high as $100.

Clearly, many organizations are going to feel that crunch and will have to pass that cost along to the customer.

How do you – the dedicated sales professional – handle that?

You go online and see if Shell, Chevron or Exxon are hiring. Ha!!

Seriously, though, you’ve got to make sure you’re really servicing the account the way you need to… and then go a step beyond.

Make sure you also remind them of all the benefits they get by doing business with you.

If oil prices stay high – or worse – lots of people are going to look to cut costs where they can. You’ll have to be proactive to make sure you and your organization aren’t part of their savings plan.

No Comments »

We talk a lot about the importance of assessing job candidates to make sure they’re a good fit with your organization. The use of assessments is really starting to catch on – I read something recently that said 3 out of 10 organizations are now using them to one degree or another.

Now hiring managers are really starting to look beyond the resume and the interview and more into the candidate themselves. What are they looking for? Passion.

As a sales or hiring manager, you have to have people that have drive and energy. That doesn’t mean they’re an egotistical maniac, or they’re all pumped up with enthusiasm but no idea of how to put that energy to work. You’re looking for someone that cares about what they do.

It’s a tall order to fill, but there are ways to do it.

The best way is to get below the surface of the resume and the interview suit. Look for candid responses to personal questions about who they really are, what they care about, and what they want. Ask for examples, proof, of these aspects and ask for how that will translate to how they do the job.

Warning: Passionate people are in demand. When you find them, be sure you have a plan in place to keep them with you!

No Comments »

I’m one of those people who think our world and our way of doing business is all on the verge of drastic change. We talk about how technology and the web is playing an important and more prevalent role and you can’t have a discussion about business without someone mentioning India and China … there’s no doubt about it, the rules are changing.

A big part of that change is the way in which the customer is gaining more and more control; control over what they buy, how they use it and how they’re marketed to.

As our economy switches from a manufacturing to a service industry – consumers are constantly being asked to try, trade, or upgrade one service for another. Whether it’s cable TV vs. satellite, Sprint vs. Verizon or Bank of America vs. Wachovia.

Each service promises more customization than the other; the we’ll-give-you-what-you-want, it’s-all-up-to-you promise.

Finally, we’re getting those marketing message in increasingly customized formats. Gmail actually includes sponsored links in your emails – based on the content of the email!! That’s genius. So, you’re brother-in-law emails you about the new puppy they found and your email is going to have links for pet stores and pet supplies.

Here’s where all this is going… Big Business is getting too big and cumbersome to be as adaptive as it needs to be, as customers want it to be.

I called the customer service number on the back of one of my credit cards and talked to someone who asked what credit card I was using! That doesn’t seem right. These people pleaded with me through direct mail (they knew my name and address) for years before I finally decide to do business with them and when I call the number on my card – they don’t even know what “branch” I’m working with?

One of the guys I work with was a customer with a service provider for 8 years. When he moved, they botched the address change and then told him he would have to wait 2 months for an install in his new place! Eight years he gives this company his money and they treat him like… well I don’t know… I guess how Big Businesses tend to treat customers once they own so much market share.

What do you think? Do you work for a big business that’s full of departments and bureaucracy? Or one that’s big enough to handle your clients, but know all of your clients by name? How do you service your accounts? Do you have the time you need? Or is it all about market share? Is there a middle ground?
�

No Comments »

Click the pic to debunk the the myth.

No Comments »