11.30.11
Posted in Will You Get the Tip? at 1:05 pm by Administrator
A recent memo to company employees: Thank you for your hard work in making this a successful year. We’ve experienced unprecedented growth.
Memo a few days later from a manager: Our annual holiday party will be at the following location. The company will pay for your meal but we will pass the hat among the employees to pay for the tip. (Needless to say, the hat was empty when it was passed!)
Is it just me or is this in poor taste? The nice gesture of paying for the meal was lost in paying for the tip. Many
companies have been hurt economically and made cuts to holiday parties and bonuses which is understandable. Continuing to be creative at rewarding and recognizing employees should be an important part of any management team. If a reward is seen as insincere or perceived as tasteless, it can actually have a negative effect on the team and become a joke among the employees. Money is always nice but study after study has shown that people thrive in an environment where recognition is at the top of upper management’s list. Over the next few weeks, think of ways to show appreciation to the performers in your company.
I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving and are planning on ending 2011 with great success!
Regards,
Brian
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10.26.11
Posted in I Will Rebuild at 4:22 am by Administrator
I Will Rebuild- Joplin home destroyed by tornado
Ever feel like giving up? Throwing in the towel? Quitting? A friend of mine recently returned from a volunteer trip to help in the rebuilding of Joplin, MO in the wake of the recent tornado. The stories of tragedy are moving but the stories of heroism and determination are also inspiring. Life quickly gains perspective when you see how so many have suffered. I was especially moved by this photo she shared. “I WILL REBUILD”, as you see in the photo, captures the essence of the human spirit that shows itself when some are faced with the unthinkable or the difficult.
Tough decisions and challenges will inevitably face us. The question is- how will we react? It could be a hard financial decision, an underperforming product category, and employee or family issues. We have a couple of choices- ignore it and do nothing (which never ends well-I’ve tried it) or have the “I WILL REBUILD” attitude. Facing the seemingly impossible is never easy but if you believe failure is not an option, then start today by reviewing what needs to be confronted. Develop a strategy to rebuild and have the never give in, never give up spirit that has made the USA the great nation that it is.
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09.28.11
Posted in Share the Information at 4:17 am by Administrator
Dad, why are grown-ups not very good at video games?” For a guy who rarely excelled at the classic game of Pong, I have to agree. However, when my nine and ten year old teachers fail to share basic instructions, it doesn’t help my quest for video game excellence.
Most of us have probably worked for a person at some point in our career who left out critical information that harmed our performance. The tendency as managers or owners may be to let our employees figure it out on their own. That may work for a while but when the result is poor performance it creates frustration on the employee and employer side.
A friend of mine was recently hired by a national distribution company as an outside sales representative. As part of their training program, he will be spending several weeks working as an inside sales person learning product lines and computer systems. Traditionally the goal has been to get an outside sales rep in the field as soon as possible. Could we actually be harming their ability to meet and exceed their sales budgets? I believe by investing the time initially to train employees in company processes, it will pay great dividends and create a more pleasant work environment.
Now excuse me while I go try to master Mario Kart!
Regards,
Brian Boek
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08.29.11
Posted in Uncategorized at 3:11 am by Administrator
I’m close to losing the battle with the sliding glass door to our patio. After minor stretching, mental preparation and great effort, I am finally able to move it to the open position. It is with this in mind that I stopped at the local big box store to see what options are available. As the “professional” was assisting me, he asked if I was interested in window grids or not. “Well, I’m not sure,” I replied.
“Yes or no. Do you want them or not?”
“Uhhh. Yes?”
My hesitation was due to the fact that I was deciding whether or not to reach across the counter, grab him by the collar and remind him that surprise, I am the customer. Obviously he was not having the best customer service day.
In dealing with customers, we can sometimes reach a level of frustration from dealing with daily issues that we become jaded and neglect treating our customers as if they are valuable. We may need a gentle reminder that without customers, we have no sales, no business and no income. Here are a few reminders.
• When was the last time you told your customers that you appreciate their business?
• Have you shared a recent relationship building activity with them?
• What questions have you asked in the last six months to see what their business needs may be?
Remember that even though customers may sometimes be difficult, life without them would be downright miserable.
Regards,
Brian
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07.28.11
Posted in Pain of Mistakes at 4:44 am by Administrator
Feel the pain. Major league baseball game. Runners on first and second, one out. Easy pop fly between first and second in the grass. Second baseman catches the fly, then leisurely skips over to the stands and flips the ball to the ball girl- only to realize that his fans are screaming, look 1, look 1. The ball girl had already given the ball to one of the fans. Needless to say, the runners were awarded two bases. One run scored. Did I mention that the player was also an All Star?
Yes that was painful to watch. As a major league business professional have you or your staff ever made a mistake that embarrasses you or costs money? The answer is most likely yes. If your answer is no, you need to take a polygraph. However, it isn’t always the mistake that is the issue but it is how the mistake is handled. The mistake has to be acknowledged, a solution found and implemented. There are a few ways that we can keep mistakes at a minimum and get past them.
• Know the game situation. The major league baseball player had a brain fade and did not know how many outs there were in the inning. As a business professional, it is important to know potential threats, weaknesses and opportunities and enable your staff to react appropriately.
• Acknowledge the mistake and move on. Quoting the all-star, “You see it every now and then. Life goes on. Nobody’s perfect.” As frustrating as it may be that is what we have to do with mistakes- deal with them and move forward.
• Get back in the game. Later in the same game, the player made several decent plays. Quitting is not an option. Dust yourself off and go to battle once again. There are always critics but those are usually the ones not in the game and who are content with being ordinary.
Now go play like an All-Star.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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06.30.11
Posted in Showing Customers the Money at 4:39 am by Administrator
In the competitive flooring market where there are many options how do you capture the attention of your dealers? Recently, a distributor sales representative was attempting to change the buying habits of a flooring dealer by convincing them to change their rubber wall base supplier. In an effort to show the savings, he taped a dollar bill and his business card to the rubber wall base and left the dealer with this message, “With every four foot piece you purchase, you will save one dollar per piece compared to the competition.” In the days to come, as sales people passed the wall base sitting silently on the shelf, they all had the same question, “What is the meaning of the dollar bill?” The other salespeople then shared the message of the dollar-a-piece savings. Half the battle had been won. Next stop, securing an order.
Is creativity part of your company’s and employee’s normal routine? Some discount such creativity as simply gimmicks. Yet, if the goal is to increase the exposure of our products and services, perhaps we should consider ideas that grab the attention of customers and make them want to learn more and eventually buy. Whether it is a dollar bill on a piece of wall base, a promotion or give away, motivating the customer to make a decision must always be kept in mind. In other words, show them the money!
Regards,
Brian Boek
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05.30.11
Posted in Tacos and Empowering Employees? at 5:10 pm by Administrator
One of the highlights of living in San Diego is authentic Mexican food on most street corners. Taco Tuesdays are popular because a two dollar taco is on special for $.99- at least that is what the sign advertised outside one eating establishment. Several other friends and I piled into the taco shop to place our order for this great deal of the week. Our excitement over cheap tacos was short lived.
“Sorry sir but we no longer have that special.”
“But your sign shows it is still on special.”
“Sorry sir but we no longer have that special.”
“So will you honor it since you are still advertising it?”
“Sorry sir but we no longer have that special. I don’t know how to do a discount on the cash register.”
“Can you contact the owner or manager?”
“Uhhh. No. He doesn’t want to be bothered.”
Now, it was a matter of principle so instead of paying for the two dollar taco, we settled for a much healthier meal at KFC.
As I left my friends, I thought to myself. Here was an employee that had not been empowered or trained by the owner of the taco shop. The result was a loss of business that day and a poor feeling toward the company.
Are your employees empowered to make decisions? When a customer contacts a company they generally want an answer quickly. It is important to have systems in place so employees know what they can and can’t do. Waiting two to three days for an answer can be a deal breaker. In today’s fast paced environment, there are too many options and the customer may be losing their opportunity to close a sale. Here are a few items to consider to ensure customers can receive accurate and rapid responses.
· Give employees a range of pricing options they are qualified to offer a customer
· When special approval is needed on pricing or other questions, have a clearly defined contact person who is usually available. Having a backup contact for that person is also helpful.
· Train employees to process discounts, claims, etc. so these issues don’t get lost in the day to day operations.
The next time you take a bite of an authentic, greasy, delicious taco, remember the lesson of empowering your employees.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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04.30.11
Posted in A Beautiful Thing at 5:06 pm by Administrator
When you see great selling practices in action it is a beautiful thing. I recently witnessed a sales rep in a newer account sit with the sales people and ask, “Explain to me your sales process and where there may be an opportunity for my product.” And do you know what happened? They explained who he needed to speak with and what products would fit their needs.
It is amazing what people will tell you when you ask them specific questions or ask for help. Such a basic sales technique should be expected but it is often neglected. We have probably all made the mistake of thinking we understand a person’s business needs but forget to regularly ask questions designed to find where there may be more opportunities.
Encourage your managers and representatives to discover those hidden sales nuggets by digging deeper into their existing accounts; especially those accounts where they think they may know every aspect of the business. There may be an entire division within a company no one knew existed that can offer great potential in building additional sales.
Regards,
Brian
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03.30.11
Posted in Silent Starving Rep at 4:32 am by Administrator
With baseball’s major leaguers hitting the diamonds this week for regular season play, I’m reminded of the silent starving rep.
Walk with me as we side step into our seats, peanut shells crunching under foot while our favorite beverage spills, running down hands and elbows. Settling into our seats, we notice the silent starving rep. He has brought a client to the game but there is no conversation. The silent starving rep avoids eye contact and nervously looks around if his client tries to communicate. Suddenly, he rises from his seat and disappears leaving his client to fend for himself for most of the game. Much to the dismay of the silent starving rep’s boss, no relationship was built, no business was discussed, no commissions were earned…and you guessed it, the rep starved-literally.
Hopefully you found this story (which is more true than not) somewhat humorous. At the same time, it is also disturbing when you consider the lost opportunity. It is difficult to place a value on building relationships. Whether or not it is a sporting event or other outing, relationships built outside the office can lead to long term business connections and friendships that last for years. Relationships don’t build themselves. Does your sales staff regularly focus on relationship building? I can hear it now, “That costs money.” Well, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Don’t use “no expense account” or “no budget for that” as an excuse. Be creative in encouraging your employees in spending time with their clients. It can be as simple as showing interest in an organization or hobby that is important to the customer or as lavish as an exotic trip to the Caribbean (which will cost money, just in case you were wondering).
As your employees build relationships, help them realize the importance of being engaged and active with their clients. Remind them of the silent starving rep whose silence and inactivity led to an empty stomach and an empty bank account.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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02.28.11
Posted in Important to ME at 2:41 am by Administrator
Vegas… for many in the flooring industry this word elicits groans and memories of aching backs, sore feet, splitting headaches (for some unknown reason) and sleep deprivation. However, the feet keep walking to the Surfaces convention every year.
This year at Surfaces I was standing in a group that was being videoed by an equipment manufacturer for a “technical training” video. Two weeks later I received a generic email from the manufacturer rep with these words, “Thanks for being in our company video” and the link to view it online. I like to think that I am immune to manipulation by marketing gurus but with great gusto I clicked on the link and waited for the video to load. And waited… And waited. I then fast forwarded the video, scanning for a glimpse of the new Surfaces star and there I was, towards the end of the video, visible for a fraction of a second.
Why did I click on the link? Ok, I admit it. I wanted to see myself on the silver screen. It was important to ME. And therein lies the lesson. So often, we advance our own agenda in business and in life with little consideration of what is best for our clients or acquaintances. If we take a second to stop and listen, we might be surprised that they will tell us what they need or want. It may be a simple recognition of our appreciation for their business or as complex as a specially designed product or program for their company. At the core of our relationships is the unspoken rule, “Make me feel important.” What can you do today to make someone feel important?
Next time you see me don’t be shy. Since I’m practically a celebrity, I’ll be glad to give you an autograph.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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