09.30.08
Posted in www.how is your presence on the internet.com at 8:25 pm by Administrator
Even with the explosive growth of the internet the flooring industry has been somewhat slow to adopt the latest technologies. If you search flooring distribution websites you will find that the majority are limited to listing product lines, company history and contain out of date information. A few offer a portal to online ordering which can provide great advantages for the customer and the distributor.
A website does not have to be flashy, fancy or complex. It needs to look clean and be functional. It should be a place where customers can quickly access up to date product information, easily signup to receive promotions and information by email and where sales reps should feel comfortable sending their customers to the site. Some distributors make the decision to develop the website themselves or outsource it. There are challenges to both. Developing the site in house may be easier and less expensive but there may be limitations on what the site can offer due to limited knowledge of the internet and design programs. Outsourcing is sometimes difficult because the designer probably does not understand your core business and it can be a frustrating process to communicate what you want to accomplish.
Bob Eady of T&L Distributing recently told me as we redesigned www.tldistributing.com, “I want something that is functional, easily updated and someone who can expand it as needed.” Because of Boek Consulting Group’s distributing and technology background, we were able to provide the solution for Bob’s needs. We will continue to add access points for customers and reps that allow them to have the latest information at their finger tips.
I encourage you to evaluate your current internet presence and determine what you can do to increase the www initiatives at your company. See you online!
Brian Boek
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08.15.08
Posted in Rattlesnake at 5:58 pm by Administrator
“Rattlesnake,” I yelled as I pulled my brother-in-law backward. It was an evening hike and his foot was descending on top of a rattlesnake lying across the trail. The sun had set so it was difficult to see the snake on the path.
It is true in life and in business that what we can’t see can often hurt us or at the least make us uncomfortable. Being able to see internal company data, competitive information and trends is extremely important. However even with today’s technology, some companies struggle with having accurate reporting mechanisms and thus end up making decisions based on inaccurate information. There can be a number of contributing factors but here are a few that are common among distributors.
1) Inadequate training of personnel to understand the company software program
2) Unclear communication of what data needs to be captured
3) Report variables not clearly defined
The quickest way to instill confidence in your reporting capabilities and personnel is to schedule regular trainings with the software provider so you can have multiple users who know the ins and outs of the program. Remember, what you can’t see, can hurt you.
Regards,
Brian Boek
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07.09.08
Posted in Coffee Surprise at 9:39 pm by Administrator
Starbucks surprised many coffee drinkers this month when they announced they were closing 600 stores. But to those who have been paying attention their business difficulties have been evident for the past couple of years-explosive growth, real estate purchases, increased competition and an economic downturn are some of the contributing factors that have led to their financial woes. Hopefully Starbucks current business decisions will help them continue their success.
So what can distributors learn from the Starbucks story?
–Starbucks lost focus on what they do best- create an experience that is more than just the coffee. Maintaining focus on your key initiatives helps keep you grounded when times are good and when times are bad.
–Explosive growth can come at a price. While we all like explosive growth, the price paid can be overwhelming if we have not planned for it and are not prepared from an operations and service perspective. Strategic growth is easier to manage and usually more profitable.
–Increased competition has continually eroded the Starbucks brand. While they have been the leader, they have not defended their brand as aggressively as their competitors have promoted the Starbucks alternative. Always remember to defend and promote your brand. The uniqueness of what your company offers to customers should continually be promoted at every level within the company.
Now go and enjoy a fresh cup of java from…
Brian
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06.16.08
Posted in Panic at 5:59 pm by Administrator
PANIC! Have you hit the panic button in the past few months? If you have, you are not alone. There is a fine line between hitting the panic button and making tough business decisions. Panic is defined as an extreme state of fear…and there is a lot of fear mongering these days-some real and some false. In many cases panic can lead to unreasonable and irrational decisions that have long term consequences. Perhaps Dale Carnegie had the best advice in “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living???. When faced with difficult times or situations, Mr. Carnegie advises, 1) Ask what is the worst that can happen, 2) Prepare to accept it, 3) Improve upon the worst. There is something about following this simple formula that can be bring focus to solving a problem and lead to logical decisions that improve the stability of an organization or your personal life. So this next month when you are tempted to panic, take a deep breath, remember the formula and solve your way to success.
Have a great month!
Brian
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06.06.08
Posted in Green Eggs and Ham at 12:30 am by Administrator
It is possible that most of what we need to know to be successful in business we learned in kindergarten. Take the matter of persistence, Dr. Seuss was onto something when he wrote Green Eggs and Ham. How many of your sales or customer service reps can be called Sam-I-Am. “Would you like them in a house? Would you like them with a mouse???? When the “customer??? declares, “I do not like them in a house. I do not like them with a mouse? I do not like…??? and on the story goes. Does Sam-I-Am quit? No, he explores every possible option to convince the contrary customer to at least try them. In the end, the customer relents, “Sam! If you will let me be, I will try them. You will see–Say! I like green eggs and ham!??? The prior difficult customer becomes Sam-I-Am’s biggest advocate. Encourage your sales and customer service reps to adopt the Sam-I-Am attitude by exploring every possibility of what makes their client tick and most importantly to not give up. The customer we perceive as our biggest challenge often ends up being our greatest cheerleader because we stuck it out and found a solution that met their specific need.
Children can be frustratingly persistent. As adults we sometimes are willing to give up too soon. Recently my youngest son had been incessantly bugging me for an answer on something. After the umpteenth question, I responded with a definite, “Maybe???. Instead of being discouraged, he cheerfully told his siblings, “Daddy said maybe so that is probably a yes.??? To which I say, “I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you! Sam-I-Am!
Have a great week.
Brian
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05.30.08
Posted in Defining Value at 8:39 pm by Administrator
A conversation I had yesterday with a client centered around the challenges of the current economy-specifically the cost of fuel. With the rapid price increases, there is a significant negative impact to the bottom line. So are there opportunities in such difficult times? The greatest opportunity is for a company to define the value it brings to the customer. Are their orders delivered accurately, on-time and professionally? Does the sales representative and customer service representative respond quickly to concerns? Once you have defined the value to your customer, this needs to be promoted on a consistent basis. You should not be embarrassed or hesitant to sing the praises of your company. If you’re not doing it, who is? It is sure not your competition. Smart business people know that high quality and responsive service is not free and that you cannot continue to operate if you do not have a healthy bottom line. So in the coming weeks, I encourage you to think of ways to promote the value of your company, verbally and in print, to your customers. Have a great weekend. Brian
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