C Notes Newsletter Issue 2

Team Building Work Together Or Die

A handful of shaggy-haired college kids, most of whom would not go on to play professional hockey, were expected to lose gracefully in the earliest rounds of play. The Olympic hockey finals, Lake Placid, 1980, were supposed to be reserved for the hardened pros from Russia and Finland. Nobody told the Yanks, though; they skated and passed flawlessly, checked aggressively and had the utmost faith in each other. The Russians were sent home in the semi-finals, 4-2. The Finns got it next: a 4-3 victory for the gold, and one of the most stunning upsets in Olympic history.

Teams don’t just form spontaneously, any more than a handful of springs and pivot arms thrown into the air will coalesce into clockwork. A team, like a precision timepiece, is crafted with precision, decision and care. Every element must fit perfectly, and every effort must be made to eliminate wasteful friction. There comes a time when the designation, “team” is earned, and the efficiency and economy of motion are a wonder to behold.

When a team is in its element, everything it does moves it and its organization closer to the common, understood goal. The individual strengths and talents of team members seem to amplify–as if being part of a team brings out better than they knew they had. Their communication is exemplary–but very often each knows what the others are thinking and how they’ll react, with very few words spoken. They trust each other, honor each other, enjoy working with each other. They are a team.

Few would argue that team building in business is more than desirable–it is a necessity. If your staff is not working as a unit, they are not giving the company their fullest productive potential. It’s easy to recognize that your vital human assets give so much more to the common cause when they are working together. But how do you create that team?

It’s not an easy process; in fact, it’s one that never ends. It starts with the environment. If yours is a business that actively encourages dialogue and open communication, then you’ve already gone a long way toward fostering a team. The group must also understand goals, strategy and direction; and how their roles and the roles of their teammates effect implementation. They must rise to the challenge of the task and enjoy each other’s company. They must collectively be hungry for the win.

Turning a group into a team is a challenge; it’s even more a challenge to maintain that state. But once you see the vast returns on that investment you’ll never doubt the wisdom of your decision. Your team won’t let you.

Image & Identity

United They Become Your Company's Most Valuable Asset

In Disney’s 1937 masterpiece, Snow White, the wicked witch displayed an all too common image/identity problem. Her image–that is, how she was perceived by the world at large–was that of an unpleasant creature, and none too enjoyable to look at. But her identity–how she perceived herself (and what the mirror told her)–revolved around her being the fairest of them all. The ensuing conflict of perceptions inevitably leads to crisis. A similar conflict, and crisis, is endemic among corporate America.

Companies value their image. The corporate world has learned, sometimes painfully, that image is among the most valuable of assets. Thus billions are spent annually on developing, refining and maintaining corporate images.

What most companies fail to realize, though, is that these dollars are actually spent projecting an identity; that they are attempting to convince the consumer to accept the company’s perception of itself. Sometimes it works. Very often it doesn’t.

If a company has gained a reputation for poor customer service, for example, it doesn’t matter how many commercials they air featuring their smiling, friendly CEO. The company’s identity might be that of “just folks,” but they have done nothing to address their image. Consumers will continue to perceive them as a company that doesn’t care about their customers.

A company’s goal must be that of convergence; of bringing image and identity as close together as possible. This requires a bit of harsh self-evaluation. It requires an honest look at the company image, and an understanding as to how such perceptions developed. It may require an adjustment as to how business is done. It might even require a reevaluation of identity.

At the heart of it, identity is a promise; and image is either the promise broken or the promise fulfilled. If a company is brave enough to look closely at its own image and identity (and not through a mirror that will simply tell us what we want to hear), then image and identity can eventually become one. And that is the surest path to a fiercely loyal customer base, and nearly unstoppable growth.

Sales Rep Organizations

Not A Hands Free Solution

Your product line suddenly becomes in demand. This comes sooner than projections had outlined. Your company has no established sales network to deal with these new customers. What do you do?

If you find yourself in a situation like this, you’re likely to be contacted by one or more sales representation organizations. They offer the services of sales professionals already in place to represent your line. Many of these organizations are even industry specific, making them that much more attractive to the company in need.

On the face of it, the concept seems like a winner; a pre-established network of experienced salespeople, with the immediate ability to market your line to potential customers. Even their commission rates seem reasonable. And if all this sounds too good to be true, perhaps you should consider the rest of the story.

A sales rep organization usually represents several product lines. This means they probably won’t be promoting your line alone; they might even be promoting your competition. Without proactive management on your part, you cannot expect your product or brand to receive the primacy it deserves.

Also, many clients of sales rep organizations find their contact with sales reps is infrequent at best. It’s easy to convince yourself this means they are hard at work on your behalf, and it might even be true. But one of the consequences of infrequent contact is that you are denied vital intelligence that can warn of market trends and customer demands. The good news is, it is quite possible to receive excellent results from a sales rep organization. It just requires a little work on your part.

First, do not assume you can simply turn over your sales burden, then sit back and reap the rewards. For best possible effectiveness, you must cultivate a sales rep organization just as you would your own sales force. This means motivation, incentives, training and frequent contact– initiated by you. It also means you must equip your reps with the sales tools necessary to promote your line and build your brand. Any sales professional can tell you that representation is much less challenging with effective sales tools such as catalogs, spec sheets, demos and samples. And for even greater effectiveness, your sales tools should steer your prospects to your company’s web site for ordering or more information.

So if sales are flat or your customer service department frantically tells you that orders are pouring in from seven time zones, relax a little. So long as you remember to apply the principles of good management, a sales rep organization just might be the solution you’re looking for.