Roman or Norman - A Customer Service Story

Written by Steve Waterhouse


Continued from page 1

Roman or Norman?

Onrepparttar other hand, I recently met with a sales manager whose sales force of 25 people spent a week analyzingrepparttar 139407 equipment needs of a paper mill and then delivered a thorough cost-saving analysis beforerepparttar 139408 customer had ever committed to spending so much as a dime.

Roman or Norman?

Which "invader" would you want on your doorstep? The answer is self-evident, and it means that when you visit that potential working partner you should be asking some questions alongrepparttar 139409 following lines.

"If you ran our newspaper, what would you change?"

"What products or services should we add to serve you better?"

"If we wererepparttar 139410 perfect supplier to you, what would we be doing differently?"

When I was withrepparttar 139411 Vortech Corporation, we had a major opportunity with IBM, but we were by farrepparttar 139412 smallest ofrepparttar 139413 four companies competing for their business. During one of our meetings I askedrepparttar 139414 buyer what we would be able to do for them if we wererepparttar 139415 perfect supplier. She answered that they would like access to our computer tracking system so that they could maximize their planning. After a few calls to our plant, I found out that this would be easy to implement with a trusted client. Two weeks later we establishedrepparttar 139416 link and locked uprepparttar 139417 business for years.

Customer surveys represent another tool that far too many companies easily dismiss. Most distribute comment cards but few read them. J.W. Marriott, Sr. used to read every one and even wroterepparttar 139418 responses and followed up with managers. His son still does it andrepparttar 139419 result is that Marriott ledrepparttar 139420 way in providing business travelers needed power and phone outlets for their laptops. They also were amongrepparttar 139421 first chains to offer lower cost alternatives through their Fairfield hotels, ensuring travelers a quality room that won't bustrepparttar 139422 budget.

Today, we all haverepparttar 139423 opportunity to learn a great deal about our clients and potential clients from newspapers, corporate reports and, of course,repparttar 139424 Internet. Justrepparttar 139425 other day I received a valuable client lead, and before makingrepparttar 139426 call torepparttar 139427 contact, I spent 5 minutes online getting information. When I made my call, I knewrepparttar 139428 company's annual sales, details about their product, their growth curve forrepparttar 139429 last five years, their target market, and their perceived advantage inrepparttar 139430 marketplace. I was ready, andrepparttar 139431 client was pleased that I had takenrepparttar 139432 time to be prepared.

The world is changing rapidly, and within months we'll all be selling inrepparttar 139433 21st century. We need to know everything we can about our customer. We need to combine that knowledge with effective plans for service, and we need to move faster than anyone else.

When our clients think of us, we want to be recognized as Romans not Normans. It'srepparttar 139434 difference between being difficult to work with or giving more than you take. Each of us can choose. We don't have to wait for word from Rome. Let's start tomorrow to dedicate ourselves and our organizations to 21st century selling. It'srepparttar 139435 way to a brighter future for each of us and our clients.

For a free copy of "5 Ways to Guarantee Great Customer Service", please email article10@waterhousegroup.com and ask for article #10.

Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group. They specialize in helping companies increase their sales and profits. He can be reached at 1-800-57-LEARN or steve@waterhousegroup.com.

Re-Print Permission This article may be reprinted in it's entirety ifrepparttar 139436 following conditions are met:

The complete tag withrepparttar 139437 author's name and contact information is included immediately afterrepparttar 139438 article. A copy ofrepparttar 139439 printed article is mailed torepparttar 139440 author at 1467 Walnut Creek Drive, Orange Park, FL 32003 within 30 days of publication. The article is presented in a positive light as part of an appropriate business related publication.

Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group. They specialize in helping companies increase their sales and profits.


Good-Bye Bobby Knight And All The Sales Managers Like You!

Written by Steve Waterhouse


Continued from page 1

Let's bury phrases like, "Winning isn'trepparttar most important thing, it'srepparttar 139406 only thing". It's that attitude that caused one parent to shoot another at a hockey rink near here recently. What's more, today's workers don't have to put up with that abuse. They are too smart and have too many options. Let's use effective goal setting, coaching, mentoring, training and motivating. Let's spendrepparttar 139407 time to hirerepparttar 139408 best and then invest in them to make them better. Let's identify those who are not right forrepparttar 139409 job and move them to other positions or 'free them up for other opportunities' by helping them find jobs elsewhere and discharging them with their dignity intact.

This is not justrepparttar 139410 right way to treat people; ironically, it'srepparttar 139411 only way that works. If you have Bobby Knights in your company, pull them aside. Tell them that they are a liability not an asset and that you are sorry you let it go this long. Give themrepparttar 139412 training,repparttar 139413 tools and an opportunity to change, but make sure they do. Then make sure you lead by example and build an organization where smart people can feel good about trying their best and where achievement is recognized and failure points out areas for improvement.

Let's say good-bye to Bobby Knight and all those like him. The future is too good to be spoiled by their kind.

For a free copy of "10 Keys to Sales Excellence" send an email to article11@waterhousegroup.com and request article 11.

Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group. They specialize in helping companies increase their sales and profits. He can be reached at 1-800-57-LEARN or steve@waterhousegroup.com.

Re-Print Permission This article may be reprinted in it's entirety ifrepparttar 139414 following conditions are met:

The complete tag withrepparttar 139415 author's name and contact information is included immediately afterrepparttar 139416 article. A copy ofrepparttar 139417 printed article is mailed torepparttar 139418 author at 1467 Walnut Creek Drive, Orange Park, FL 32003 within 30 days of publication. The article is presented in a positive light as part of an appropriate business related publication.

Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group. They specialize in helping companies increase their sales and profits.


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