THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Why do customers buy from you?  Have you ever sat down and done a little bit of homework?  Try this; take your last 10 sales (legitimate sales that have closed) and make a list.  Put two columns on the paper, one that says “product” and one that says, “Me”.  Put a check in which column the sale applies.  Did they buy because of the product/service or because of you? 

This is the classic model of rationality vs. emotion.  Did the customer buy because of an analytical thinking process driven by the product/service or did they buy because of their relationship with you?  Did you get the sale because you were the low bidder or did your personal skill sets get the name on the dotted line? 

The reality is the price is a “convenient fiction we embrace”.  A sale is a process of personal sales effectiveness. 

In doing all of our work on Repeatable Successful Acts (RSA’s), virtually all great producers identify what they do as opposed to what they sell. 

At the end of the day this has HUGE impact to an organization.  If you are not building sales effectiveness, which deals with the relationship skill sets, such as communication, thinking and planning, then you are not building a strong sales force. 

Sure product/service knowledge is essential, but customers today are sophisticated and in many instances are as educated in what they are buying as the seller is.  They rationalize with their brain, but they buy with their heart. 

Plan your 2009 skill building around those skills that connect emotionally, that build relationships and you will have a great 09, despite the doom and gloom of the economy. 

ENTERTAINMENT 

MOVIES:    TAKEN – I can’t wait for this movie!  It pushes every popcorn and Dr. Pepper button in my movie body.  A total badass like Liam Neeson in a race against a bunch of bad guys.  Hey, I know that it is not a period piece and that no Nazis will show up, but hey, it will get me in the theater! 

NetFlix Fans:  Pride and Glory:  Ed Norton is really good in this cop thriller. 

TV:    This week has been all about The Australian Open.  I have seen some great tennis.  Due to the time difference (something like 15+ hours) my weird hours have allowed me to watch lots of it live! 

BOOKS:  Full Steam Ahead – By Blanchard is a wonderful little read that has a powerful, but simple message. 

MUSIC:   When the ice sets in, I break out the Jimmy Buffett! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaKqwvGa6Bw  

WEB SITES:   Good book ideas! 

http://bestsellers.about.com/od/readingrecommendations/Reading_Lists_Recommendations.htm  

SOUTH OF

We had great meetings on huge goal initiatives with incredibly dedicated and smart people.  I am honored to be part of their process. 

Believe it or not I might have a full week in town to get caught up on a huge queue of projects lined up that need attention. 

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Hey, do you remember the reason for your organization, the reason for your company?  It’s not necessarily about making money, though that certainly is a high ranking thought.  It is about the customer.  You remember, don’t you?  EVERY business is a customer business.  Makes no difference if you are manufacturing bed springs, growing green beans or cleaning industrial waste, you are in business for the customer.   

In a recent survey by the

• Over 27% of customers feel a consistent level of dissatisfaction from their use of products or services.  The 27% is relates to how they are treated when interacting with representatives of the company.
• 57% of customers identify the initial contact as the beginning of their dissatisfaction.
• 60% (yes, 60%!) would change their service provider based simply on an initial poor interaction.
• 70% dread having to voice an objection to the service provider, but 88% have no problem telling their friends.

What does this really mean?   

•  FOCUS:  Today and I do mean TODAY; take a look at the key points of customer interaction, especially your FRONT LINE, those initial points of contact.  Examine their training, your hiring process, your reward system.  These folks are IMPORTANT and according to the survey; impact the satisfaction of over HALF your customers/clients.
• OPPORTUNITY:  60% of potential customers are looking for a better service experience.  Give it to them!  Design an interaction matrix that treats your customers like KINGS. 

Take a few moments to remember, the customer is your primary concern and FOCUS strategy and resources on handling them like the royalty they are! 

ENTERTAINMENT 

MOVIES:    Nothing in the theaters to amuse me, so I thought I would give a jab to the

NetFlix Fans:  Appaloosa:  This is an understated, great little western with Ed Harris not only acting, but also directing. 

TV:    Lie To Me is a really good little show.  Give it a try.  It’s on Wednesday night.  Remember that House is now on Monday nights! 

BOOKS:  The Customer Rules – By Beemer and Shook keeps with my theme on customer centric focus.  A pretty good read with some great ideas and impact studies on customer behavior. 

MUSIC:   I received some requests to add a music list to my Top 10 and Bottom 5 annual movie review.  Since music is a lot tougher than movies to review and more driven by personal taste, I thought I would give you my top three new performers.  All have music on iTunes.   

• Tony Lucca
• Matt Nathanson
• Brent Dennan

WEB SITES:   Looking to customer care ideas? 

http://knowledgecontact.com/blog/archives/49  

SOUTH OF

I’m wide awake and so alive.I’m ringing like a bell.Tell me this is paradise and not some place I fell.Matt Nathanson 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha. 

Despite coming to Vegas all the time I find my amazement to be renewed on every visit.  It is both elegant  and bizzarely chintzy at the same time.   

Doing work at the Wynn gave me access to the new sister hotel, Encore, that had a soft opening (see Ocean’s 13 for definition of “soft opening” ) the last week in December.  It is breathtaking!  Their main restaurant is called, SWITCH and the entire place changes its theme every 30 minutes to music and light.  The walls and ceilings change in a mechanical ballet that is an engineering and creative work of magic.  The new Palazzo is enough to make you just sit and look at the design and marvelous interior water features.  The “living forest” is incredible.  If you don’t gamble (I don’t)

Just when you see small shimmers that the economy might, just might give us the smallest glimmer of good news, well FORGET IT.  The Dow went from touching 9,000 to barely holding on to 8,000 in the blink of an eye.  Nobody believes that all those companies and industries in trouble have really told us the truth of how bad things are.  Citibank is a great example where it appears even selling off key units like Smith Barney may not be enough.  I am usually an optimist in times of bad news, but the only way to see sunshine is to completely ignore it.   

Launching a couple of new projects, one an educational curriculum design for a new commitment to training and education for a client and the other a strategic platform designed around a single goal – GENERATE NEW IDEAS! 

Finally off of rehab for the knee!  I get to cautiously step back on the tennis court! 

Special thanks to my agent/manager extraordinaire Chris Ryan, who did a great job on my behalf this week!!!! 

Next week it’s off the

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Jim Collins , the author of the wonderful book – Good to Great recently was interviewed and discussed his ideas around good decision making.  Here are a few highlights: 

• Learn to say; “I don’t know”.  This opens the doors to constant learning.
• The higher the question /  statement ratio the better.  By learning to utilize open and probing questions (part of the Socratic Method) you can find a pathway to the most correct answer.
• Deciding is not doing.  There is always the need for  a decision maker.  Discover consensus, but making a decision is a leadership trait..
• Big decisions really decide a tiny fraction of the outcome.  It is the daily, in the trenches activities, each driven by micro choices that really make the difference.

The bottom line is that decision making needs to drive ACTION.  We are defined by the forward steps we take and the occasionally falling on our butt. 

ENTERTAINMENT 

MOVIES: 

NetFlix Fans:  Paul’s Last Stop:  I just saw the marvelous, very little movie on Showtime.  Made for a couple of bucks it is both like a documentary and movie, as it follows two young men on a trip around the world to scatter the ashes of their friend.  FANTASTIC! 

TV:    It’s disaster time for me as American Idol kicks off and Laura is a big fan.  The good news is that they have moved House MD to Monday nights so he won’t be bumped by Idol. 

BOOKS:  Presentation Zen – By Gary Reynolds is a pretty good read about the impact you can have as a strong presenter. 

MUSIC:   At the end of the day I am a singer/songwriter fan.  I love the storytelling aspect and the skill to do it with a simple riff and a cleaver turn of the tongue.  Now I dig OAR, Counting Crows, My Morning Jacket and bands like that, but give me the troubadour to spend my musical time with and I am in music heaven.  Here is a great tune by Tony Lucca. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJXW8gf7XIA  

WEB SITES:   Looking to find some research articles? 

http://findarticles.com/p/advanced?tb=art  

SOUTH OF

It takes the time it takes to get it right.Tony Lucca 

Drop me a note with your comments at steve@creativeventures.com 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Adios and Aloha.