E T freaking A

I was flying home after a week out on the road, and the weather conditions had us circling over the Atlanta Airport for an hour. Tensions were rising all around as if the plane will soon run out of fuel and tailspin out of the sky, until the pilot came on the intercom and announced the Estimated Time of Arrival. Whereupon, everyone sat back, took a deep breath, and I resigned myself to reading over the next hour.

You will hear me talk a lot about the basics of communication. I truly and deeply believe everything starts and ends there. These fundamentals of communication are based on 4 simple elements: the encoder, the method/means, the decoder, and probably the most important of them all…the feedback.

After all, you can encode as many messages as you want, send them through 5 different means of communication, but if you don’t get any feedback, it is meaningless.
Even if the decoder received the message!

When I was a kid, my older brother used to beat the crap out of me. For years I tried communicating my suffering to my parents, by crying, by telling them straight up, by letters, and even one time in a radical way that I can laugh at now, but wasn't pretty then. They probably heard me. Years later, I found out they even did something about it, BUT they didn't give me any feedback, so how was I to know they were trying to resolve the matter?

Communication is like a magic circle that if broken at any point, is useless. The feedback is that last piece of that circle that makes the magic appear.

I’m going to share one of the biggest secrets in Sales. When you’re selling, make sure you always give feedback; and always remember that one of the most crucial elements of feedback when you’re selling, especially in relationship selling, is ETA.

Take a minute and imagine a scenario where the customer calls with a specific need (the encoder). You set up an online call to understand their need (the method/means) and you now comprehend the need (the decoder). At the end of the call, you communicate to the customer that you will do some research and get back to them with your findings.

And here dear readers is the most critical part (and please imagine me now pounding on the keyboard, screaming and with tears, as I cannot stress this enough!) – WHEN?!?!?!

When will you get back to the customer (the F.E.E.D.B.A.C.K.) ???

And is the killer tip here – when you set a time frame as to when you will get back to them, you set expectations to live up to. As a result, it puts a higher level of commitment on you.

Now, set aside the actual issue on which you need to update the customer, but the mere act of telling the customer you will get back to them in 3 days, then actually getting back to them in 3 days, is a bucket of extra points for you and is fundamental in building a trust-based relationship.

I know what you’re thinking – “But what if I didn't get the answers from my technical guys yet?

SO THAT’S WHAT YOU’LL TELL THE CUSTOMER!! And next time, give yourself a week.

Now let’s switch our point of view, here for a second. Suppose you finished the call with the customer, you (encoder) go to your technical liaison internally and explain to them, via email (method/means), the issue at hand. Your technical person (decoder) replies with: “I understand the problem and…I’m on it.”

Famous last words. 

WHEN GOD DAMN IT?? WHEN!?!?!? I am glad you are on it, but when will you get back to me? (They haven’t assigned a level of commitment to the task.) Demand the ETA.

Too many times these things simply duel for way too long, due to a low level of commitment. As a rule, I typically insist on a timeline and set a reminder for myself unless I've worked with this person and learned to trust they will indeed follow up and reliably deliver.

You see, if you don’t set reminders in place to follow up, and your tech guys take their sweet time, or G-d forbid get immersed in another project and forget, and then you may forget too.  Then one day, 3 months later, your customer, who is now your ex-customer, bumps into you at a conference where you get all wound up about how they left you and how you simply didn't get an answer from your tech guy yet, and how you tried really hard and how it was a holiday and the tech guy’s dog died and your daughter’s first little league game and you had to sub for their coach and your wife got on the president’s club at her work and you just had to travel for a week to Hawaii with her and oh the global warming….

And really, even if you had said it would take 6 months, all that customer needed was an E T freaking A.

They Don’t Call it a 3rd Party for Nothing…

While meditating during one of my recent flights over the Florida/Georgia border I was challenged by the guy sitting next to me to think about relationships with third party providers.

What is it that makes the relationship good, beneficial, rewarding, and, of course, lucrative for both sides?

Keeping in mind all of the aspects of personalities, attitudes, and corporate cultures as discussed in some of my previous posts, I tried to focus on the business and operational aspects of this kind of a relationship. So let’s explore some of the challenges and possible solutions of working with third parties:

1.       Is it a one-time gig?

When you need something done quickly that is not too technologically involved with your product, many times it is best to go to a third-party vendor. In this case, the amount of coding and their pricing are likely to be the most important items on the list. Get references, see their past work, and go for it. In this scenario you get what you pay for, and you are not concerned with a long-term relationship. If something goes wrong, no biggie. There is no long-term strategy here, and the vendor doesn't really care about your customers or market share.

2.       Is it a short-term (3-9 months) adventure?

Whenever you spend a longer amount of time with a third party, employees are involved and it gets a bit tricky. When it is a short-term project, the third-party provider is usually focused on the task in hand and making a good impression for future “jobs.” The key is to make sure the people doing your work indeed have the professional expertise to perform the task.
A couple of our customers asked us recently about moving from one back-office system to another—Trams to Sabre Central Command.  Our recommendation to them was to make sure the person (remember? It’s all about the people!) who will be transferring them to the new back-office system is someone who knows the travel industry. Otherwise, his/her knowledge of the product but lack of knowledge of the market and the customer’s needs has the potential to screw the whole thing up.

3.       Is it a long term/ongoing relationship?

The most important item in this scenario is to determine the guidelines of the relationship. Is this third party working behind the scenes? Will they engage with your customers? And if so, will they represent you the way you want?
Another important aspect when getting into a long-term relationship is to be careful. Having been there myself, I highly recommend you do some background research on this company. Are they financially viable? Can they commit for the long term? How long have their employees been with them? The list of potential questions goes on. Unfortunately, and especially within the technology space, too many “cool” technologies and great people appear and often disappear before making real impact.

Recently, at Cornerstone, we figured out a creative way to screen out potential third-party providers by getting our customers involved in the vetting process. We took advantage of our monthly online “Boarding Call”—where our customers join us for updates, case studies, and more—and we polled the audience. Our customers were very receptive to the idea that together (remember—it’s a partnership) we can let a potential third-party provider present to us, and then we get some real feedback by polling the crowd and analyzing the results. Questions like “do you think your customers will use this service?” or “would you pay for this service?” help us tremendously with initial filtering and at the same time bring our customers closer because they are now an important part of the product roadmap. If the response is overwhelming by the participants, we do the necessary due diligence in order to make sure this will be a successful relationship.

So in short, if it’s a short-term, one-time deal make some phone calls and go at it. Long-term relationship? Put out the effort up front—it’s worth it.

                   When putting your customers first and yourself second, it’s no wonder they are called
                   a third- party provider!

For a GREAT customer relationship, to engage is not enough; you need to think about getting married.

Think about it – good relationships are a dime a dozen (at least the way we so loosely define a good relationship these days ), but a great relationship is indeed a rare find. Now, why is that you may ask, so let’s first define a great relationship.
In my mind it is first and foremost trust as everything else is derived from that. The customer needs to feel they trust their partner/provider to buy from them and trust ladies and gentlemen takes time and effort - a commodity we cannot really seem to have much of in 2014.

I too look at my kids and think quite often how easy they have it these days. Hard work, challenges and goals seem to all compile into effortless consolation prizes or good enough grades. The smallest difficulty of asking the bus driver to change seats ends way too often by a mom terrified of her kid feel embarrassed walking up to the bus driver and dealing with it herself. Don’t get me wrong, I blame myself as well at times but man, I wish we’d push our kids harder to deal with it themselves.

Add to that the fact that moving around between jobs has become pretty much as common and as acceptable as disconnects in the middle of an AT&T call (oh I am so livid with AT&T just wait for my next post) and you tell me how can we develop trust and GREAT relationships?

However, those who do put the time, the effort, the mind and yes, their heart to it are guaranteed to succeed no matter how many jobs they go through – it is the people after all.

I mentioned in previous posts that I believe in getting personal. Let’s explore it a bit.
A few months ago I met this lady who was one of the founders of LinkedIn and she shared with me a little experiment she ran for a year. She would take a picture of EVERYONE she would meet with. The purpose in some respect was to be able to better relate to that person the next time she would communicate with them and see if it has any effect on the relationship. I didn’t read her entire research but according to her it had a huge impact on the communication. I also believe in the personal aspect of the relationship to add a layer of trust and at the bottom line add to the level of sales.

Again, going back to the time and effort and EVEN if you do move around every couple of years between jobs, think about it as promoting the brand which is YOU. The relationships and trust you build will go with you wherever you go. Just imagine the call you make when you do look for a new job or trying to sell to an old customer where you ask them about their daughter who is supposed to graduate this year (because your notes from 4 years ago show his daughter just got into college) or congratulate them for the Red-Sox going all the way (because your notes show he is a die-hard Red-Sox fan). Tell me if that person would not be that much appreciative, that much more inclined to speak/meet with you and that much interested in hearing what you have to sell.

Some of you may think now that this makes sense and maybe even a bit shallow and you are right. Of course there is more to it than just notes of important personal details and as I keep reiterating it is only part of the relationship building. And it does make sense BUT still, not enough of you out there do it.

A psychologist once told me that she got tired of her husband not getting her anything and she really needs the attention, to feel loved. So once every couple of weeks she buys a little something, wraps it, leaves it in the trunk and tells her husband to pick it up on the way up and bring her that gift “he bought her”. Make your customers, your network, your connection feel loved! Who knows, they might even love you back.

Think about it - even though facebook or skype tell your online friends and connections that it is your birthday and they send you a stupid written note (not even call you…) you are still extremely happy and appreciative when they congratulate you. It feels great (for most of us) to feel loved!

Just like my title says, engaging with the customer is no longer enough and just like in real life marriage, it takes time and effort so go ahead, put the time, make the effort and make it a GREAT relationship. And while you’re at it, take a note…my birthday is this Wednesday, March 26.

Is it a Partnership or a Suppliership?

See, it really is what you make it. 

Yes, it’s hard, it requires some soul searching and facing some hard truth but I say it is a must process. To find out the answer to this question and realize what would you want to be for your customers; a partner or a supplier.

There is a saying in Yidish that says the fish stinks from its head. So whether we take it AZ it is (like the plug in? ...;-)...) or metaphorically it means that the head or heads of the organization are the ones everyone else follow. The way they act, react, the way they move and shake is how the DNA of the corporation will be determined. Just like parenthood, our kids look at us and follow our behavior. If the boss is constantly impatience, itchy and short, this is exactly how his/her employees will behave as well and vise verse if management is positive, providing and accommodating - the employees will follow.

I will try not to take sides on which approach is better and for which kind of organization and will simply make the point that you should purposefully and thoughtfully choose whatever approach you want to “teach” your employees for merely the impact upon the customers.

One of the major caveats when not controlling the attitude of your company/team/department etc. is that later when you realize the situation, changing it is a bitch. SO just like the Fish Philosophy (not the Yidish fish) – Choose your attitude!

I run all the time into managers who believe their way is the right way and while it could very well be the right way, all I’m saying is: do the quarterback. Take a few steps back and observe to make sure that indeed your way is the right way for everyone…INCLUDING your customers.

Many organizations, usually those that have been out there for a while get complaisant and become more of a supplier than a partner and then get surprised their customers start looking elsewhere.

A few months ago I called a travel agent to book an international trip. She was so professional, so correct, so freaking impatient!! Since this was a trip that I was invited to and the hosts paid for it I was forced to work with this agency so I bit my lip and moved on. Just recently, through work, I met the owner of that agency and asked to meet at their offices. Walking in you could feel the unhappiness in the air. One-on-one the owner told me how he is not sure why after so long (almost 30 years!!!) he is losing business. I asked 2 questions: 1. Are you happy coming to work in the morning? And 2 - How do you see your customers? The answer to 1 was “ehh…not so much anymore. I am tired fighting the battle” ad to 2 he said: ”our customers have always said we are their best supplier”.

You see, if you accept yourself as a supplier this is how your customers will see you as well! and a business like travel agency, where you interact personally with the customer on a regular basis you simply cannot afford being a supplier but rather strive to be a true partner. Otherwise you get into a constant battle that will eventually wear you out and get you….tired!

DO the quarterback! Do it now! And answer the question – is it a partnership or a suppliership?

Oh, and make sure you come happy to work! 

I know I do!!