While you may have the best intentions in mind and are able to demonstrate your highest levels of quality, at times, some people may still not be completely satisfied. I say this not to suggest that you should give up on improving your services and products or that you should give up on trying to reach those individuals and address …
Be honest with your service providers
Please be honest with your service providers. No matter what happened to a particular piece of equipment or a product we need to have as many facts as possible up front in order to provide adequate services and support. There’s no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed as chances are that your story is not the worst we have heard …
How to present ideas successfully
First concept to understand and keep in mind is that there are no functional projects or ideas. They all must contribute to the overall business success and should always be presented and implemented in that way. Additionally, you must know your audience; establish trust, familiarity and context with those you are presenting/pitching to and show them data (simple and visually …
Vendors beware: cold calling is an art
Dear vendors, thank you for your products, services and great customer service, but please listen to what your (prospective) clients say and respect those answers. I am aware of your need to meet your sales quotas, earn your bonuses and grow the business, but becoming a spammer or a telemarketer is not the way to go about it. Respect your …
Be resourceful and negotiate
Most of us are faced with lack of resources in some capacity in order to accomplish everything we believe we could and think we should be able to do. This lack of resources can be manifested in lack of personnel, particular skill set; lack of funding, lack of technology; equipment; tools; support services…and the list goes on. Sadly, that is …
Customer centric, employee aware
Truly successful teams are both customer centric and employee aware. In order to be able to provide useful products and services one must design, create and build those with their customers in mind. However, equally important is the need to be aware of the needs of your staff in order for them to be successful. Leadership must provide resources and …
Create experiences that matter
As you embark on new projects and consider introducing new services or products make sure to include your end clients and ideally start with them. Whether it is an internal or an external project it is important to understand the needs of your clients, partners, the business as a whole prior to proceeding. As you meet with people who are …
Hire better than you
Whenever possible, hire people who are better than you. Hire those who are the best you have ever seen within the domain of services or products that your team is responsible for. You want quality over quantity and you’ll want it every single time. Additionally, you don’t want the rest of your team to be doing someone else’s job in …
When the answer is no, provide alternatives
We have all been there, at times, you just have to say no. What happens next matters a lot more as it is up to you to understand the need at hand and provide valuable alternative solutions. If an organizational need (no matter how small it may seem to you at first) is not being addressed take a leadership role …
Build relationships and partnerships with vendors
Build relationships and partnerships with vendors providing services for your organization. No matter how large they may be they should never have an upper hand on your organization; you should work together towards a mutually beneficial relationship so don’t allow to be in a subservient position. Start your selection process by focusing on the needs of your organization, then research …