By Sid Chadwick
“I try to do the right things at the right time. They may just be little things, but usually they make the difference… between winning… and losing”…….Kareem Abdul-Jabar
INTRODUCTION:
Their CSR’s were writing “Thank You Notes”…for the first time….ever….. to neglected customers…and ….customers who had not bought --- in over six months.
There were over 150 of them….
I had asked that they each write one “Thank You Note” --- each day….to a neglected customer they’d called, or to a supplier, or to a fellow employee --- who had helped them in some way.
One day at lunch, each week, I call, and as a group --- we discussed
- “How it felt” --- to write a “Thank You Note” --- to someone, especially to someone they’d never personally met.
- What, if any, response occurred from the recipient of their “Thank You Note”. (Recipients called back, orders were increased, new items were quoted…..Suppliers were stunned…..)
- We then discussed, “What, if any, was the follow-up to that communication….”
After three weeks, I called --- and asked their President (in early July) “How’s business?”
His response: “Surprisingly….. we’re back to normal,…and because we have a few folks out --- for vacations --- it feels like….. we’re ‘slammed’.”
Note: I quickly established that I had little patience for a Sales Rep who came up to me, on seeing an order get entered, who said, “Hey….that was my account….”
Next visit, later this month --- we’re going to start roll-playing on how to successfully follow-up and negotiate “Quote Follow-up Calls” --- for raising their company’s “Quote Hit-Ratio”.
This client needs a FULL second shift; not a partial, sometimes….. second shift.
SUMMARY:
A sense of committed purpose….positive feedback….Karma……leadership by example……..it all counts……..and collectively…it adds-up….fast…..!
And ….I continue to see and hear from customers….who just want someone to consistently demonstrate…. that their business is important….by bringing them “useful information”……and preparing an intelligent discussion……often….. not --- once or twice a year.
“People cannot be managed. Inventories can be managed, but people must be led.”………...H. Ross Perot
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