SubscribeThe Worst Demo I never Got
by Wayne Turmel, Nov 16, 2009
If you are managing a sales organization, this article is a “must read” for you. In this article Wayne narrates a recent cold call experience he had, which is typical of most sales calls. A common method of measuring sales progress by the number of phone calls made or the number of demos conducted is certainly not the most efficient way to generate sales. This not only ends up wasting the time of the potential client, but also ends up wasting valuable sales resources. Making cold calls is not bad, but what you do after that should be focused on identifying and fulfilling the customer’s needs rather than making it a one sided monologue explaining how great your product it. more…
Quality #6: Knowing what needs improvement
by Tanmay Vora, Nov 16, 2009
Just like sports teams improve performance by analyzing previous games, quality improvement initiatives must first identify the areas that need improvement. Improving critical areas will provide far greater ROI than focusing on non-critical areas. The stakeholders of the project – Customers, Business Development Folks and Middle manager can help identify the critical areas. Also, the famous 80:20 rule applies to process improvement initiatives as well. more….
The starting point of all achievements
by Vijay Peduru, Nov 17, 2009
“Where there is a will, there’s a way” goes the common adage. This is an essential mantra for an entrepreneur to be successful. Entrepreneurship requires the ability to garner resources which are not readily available. The intensity of desire to be successful will propel the entrepreneur to be resourceful enough to find the resources he needs, overcome obstacles and emerge victorious. This is the common theme of most successful companies. In this article, Vijay gives a very interesting story that explains the need for “intense desire” to achieve what we want to. more…
Quality #7: Productivity and Quality
by Tanmay Vora, Nov 17, 2009
You cannot improve what you don’t measure. So, metrics are important to improve quality. But it is critical to not get confused between productivity and quality metrics. Focusing on the number modules tested, number of hours logged, etc provide the productivity measure. But do not measure quality. In order for an organization to develop the right quality culture, the organization needs to focus on the right metrics. But simply focusing on metrics alone will be harmful. Both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of work should be measured. more…
Assessment, Assessment, Assessment
by Guy Ralfe, Nov 18, 2009
In short, what Guy says in this powerful article is, what you do is base on your assessments and what you get is also based on assessments too – that of others about you. Imagine you are going to buy a car. If you perceive the sales person to be pushy wanting to do a quick sale, you tend to raise your guard and back off. But if the same sales person approaches you with a more casual or jovial attitude, you will pay more attention to him. Now, if you turn the tables around, what you are able to achieve from your customers is also based on how they assess you. more…
Quality #8: Best Practices are Contextual
by Tanmay Vora, Nov 18, 2009
One mans food is another man’s poison. The same holds true for quality best practices. Just because it worked for somebody does not mean it will work for you in your organization and culture. Studying best practices of other organizations are helpful in identifying possible solutions. But before you jump into implementing those best practices in your organization, think about how it can apply to your situation and what your goals are. There are no silver bullets. more…
Sex appeal in Social Media
by Deepika Bajaj, Nov 19, 2009
In this article, Deepika highlights two popular adds we may all have seen and describes how advertisers use sex appeal effectively. If a picture is worth a thousand words, you can imagine the power of video… the sex appeal lies in how close you get to act on your intent to purchase. more…
Quality #9: Quality of Relationship and Communication
by Tanmay Vora, Nov 19, 2009
In these increasingly service oriented business environment, what you sell is not just a product but an experience. Total quality is achieved not only by focusing product quality, but also focusing on managing the customer experience. This is done by managing customer relationship and inculcating a culture of effective communication in the organization. more…
Managing Your Identity – Telephone Etiquette
by Thomas Frasher, Nov 20, 2009
As business professionals, our identity in the marketplace is extremely important. It is an early indicator of the cost of doing business with us. This article focuses on a single aspect: Telephone Etiquette. Read this article to improve you telephone etiquette and therefore your identity. more…
Quality #10: Inspection can be a waste if…
by Tanmay Vora, Nov 20, 2009
Formal inspections are an essential part of a quality process. But that alone is not the answer to a quality product. If quality is not built into the product, it is a waste of time to inspect it after the fact. You should pay attention to eEvery aspect of product design and construction, and conduct inspections early and often. more…