Strategic Solutions – Business Coaching Firm

Have you ever thought about the criteria your customers use to evaluate positive service interactions with your organization? According to Zeithaml, Parasuraamn and Berry from their book Delivering Quality Service: Balancing Customer Perceptions and Expectations, there are 5 key areas that customers use to evaluate service:

1. Reliability- can the customer depend on the organization to accurately and dependably provide service to them?

2. Assurance- does the service provider convey confidence about their product or service and do the customers trust that service provider?

3. Tangibles- this deals specifically with the appearance of the service area, the store, the lobby etc., and the appearance of the customer service provider. Is the environment pleasing and appropriate and is the service provider dressed appropriately, smiling, warm and genuinely open? If you are interacting with the customer via the phone obviously your smile, your tone of voice and listening intently will create positive points of connection with your customers.

4. Empathy- this is the strongest skill that demonstrates that the service provider genuinely cares.

5. Responsiveness- this involves the ability to provide prompt or timely service and measures the willingness of the service provider to help customers.

Stephen Covey refers to a concept of emotional bank accounts. An emotional bank account works like a financial bank account where there are deposits and withdrawals. Points of connection Points of connection, whether positive or negative, have a direct correlation to the customer’s emotional bank account. If the connection is a positive experience there is a direct deposit. A negative experience leads to an immediate withdrawal from the account. Often times, it takes numerous positive points of connection to create a deposit; however, it often only takes one negative point of connection to deplete an account.

How did you react to the last negative experience you had with a service provider? Was you last stay at a hotel positive or negative? What point of connection formed your decision?

Is every point of connection in you business a positive one? Will your clients be adding to their emotional bank account for your business or are they planning to close the account. How can you know?

Start now to find out! Create a process within your organization that provides the ability to monitor and measure every point of connection in your service cycle. By creating that process you will be focusing on making every customer experience valuable and hopefully positive.

If you want to know more about how to increase you Customer Loyalty contact Hank Sullivan at Strategic Solutions (510) 432-7596 

Many managers (owners) have the authority to make decisions and manage their business. They also believe that they have the power. Unfortunately, they are working under a misconception. There is a vast difference between having the authority to manage and having the power to manage.

Authority according to the dictionary is the ability to exercise (administrative) control over others. It is granted to a manager by the company or organization in keeping with the position that position holds.

It is a right to settle disputes, to control operations, to make and implement decisions and to administer or manage.

Power is the measure of your personal effectiveness. It is a skill that you develop in the everyday use of your authority. You earn your power; it is granted to you by those over whom you have exercised your personal ability and capacity to influence their behavior. Power places few limits on your available lines of action and implies a flexibility of behavior suitable to a variety of situations. It is a form of individual freedom to be creative, innovative, and responsive to the needs of others who will assist you in reaching your goals.

Authority, on the other hand, defines limits and action that you have the contractual right to take or use. It is granted to you by the organization as part of the organization’s attempt to control.

Managers who frequently have to resort to using authority diminish their personal power and ultimately their ability to influence and lead others.

They often find themselves having to use coercion to get things done. As a manager, if you possess power, you need only use authority as a last resort to accomplish your ends.

Managers, who create a climate of trust and cooperation, help their subordinates maintain their dignity, pride, and autonomy. Employees working under such conditions have been found to be happier, highly productive, and personally motivated.

Therefore, it should be the goal of an effective manager, to create conditions wherein individuals can set and achieve personal goals while achieving the goals of the organization.

In the words of Dwight David Eisenhower: “Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.”

For more information on this and other leadership issues contact Hank Sullivan at Strategic Solutions 510-432-7596 or email:hsullivan@stratsolutions.net

Is your business plan in place as you begin this New Year? If not, it is not too late to begin. Every successful business has a plan and updates it annually. However, it is not the planning that will guarantee your success. Success is dependent on the execution of the plan and doing it right.

Successful business leaders do the right things in the right way, the first time and all the time. They are able to do accomplish success because they follow the dictum, “Implementation of Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” Just because something worked before does not mean it will work for you in 2008. In fact, much of technology, information and knowledge that we possess today, did not exist only a few short years ago.  We need to respond to the changes around us and plan accordingly.

In today’s world you must plan and execute. There is an old saying  “He who hesitates is lost.”  Successful business people know that they must do the right things correctly the first time. Mistakes mean rework and haste makes waste. Rework means more time and additional costs, both of which result in lower profits and the possible loss of customers. Speed is important in succeeding but taking the time to do things right the first time will be appreciated by your customers and clients.

Successful business people are the ones who have formed the habit of “Doing it now!” They frequently do the things that unsuccessful people do not like to do! When faced with difficult challenges or unpleasant tasks, they do them immediately.

You will achieve more success by getting the difficult things done first and then go on to the things they enjoy and that they do with ease. Procrastination does more than any other habit to rob us of satisfaction, success, happiness and most of all Time. More than 2 centuries ago, Edward Young wrote, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” A well –organized life and business leave time for planning, leading and follow through. To the procrastinator, time is like a task master with a whip. To the organized, action oriented person that same amount of time is like a savings account that keeps growing. Are you going to be a procrastinator in 2009 or the action oriented person? The decision is all yours.

This often repeated quotation, attributed to Joseph P. Kennedy, is one that is very applicable to today. When we hear that things are not good or when things start to slow down, many people make it worse by getting into a negative thought pattern. It is very easy not be positive. Negative thinking allows us to blame our problems on someone or something else. So like an ostrich, we can put our head in the sand and hope the problem goes away.

One of the most common ways of negative thinking is fearing a scary event in the future, something that perhaps will never happen. You could be spoiling your present for a future that is not even real.

Another common way of negative thinking is imagining things that are not actually there, or thinking ourselves as a victim. At these times, it is useful to differentiate between thoughts and reality. In the end, where are you living, in your thoughts or in reality?

Every day we are inundated with negative news in our newspapers, radio and television.

We are being told how bad the economy is doing, that global warming will destroy our environment, and crime is at its highest levels. With this information in our minds, we have two choices dwell on the positive or on the negative. I suggest you focus on the positive.

As business people, we all know that there are good business times and bad business times.  The key is to have a plan that will get you through both. If you don’t know where you are going how can you possibly get there.

We have all been hearing that the economy is headed for a recession.  The facts are that the mortgage industry went through a tough time and that the price of gas this past summer was at its highest levels.  However, on June 25, 2008, Oracle Corporation reported record sales and profits and surpassed IBM to become the 2^nd largest software company in the world. Their sales are an indicator of future growth in the economy. On the same day, oil futures fell sharply and gas prices inched lower. As of today, gas is half the price of last summer. Does this information mean we can sit back and all will be roses? Probably not! So what does it mean?

It means that in business things happen every day, some good and some bad. We should not try to react but we should plan and take action.  Develop a solid business plan and execute your plan every day. Stay positive by being in charge of your business. Start every day with the attitude that it will be a good and productive day. We still have to be realist but we can be positive realist. So if you have a good business plan with actionable goals that you are implementing daily then you are more like Oracle. If you don’t, then stop procrastinating, take charge of your future, and get going.

For more information about this or other leadership issues contact Hank Sullivan at Strategic Solutions 510-432-7596 or email hsullivan@stratsolutions.net. or go to www.stratsolutions.net

If you are concerned with how you are going to produce more and better results in  2009, then you need to begin with taking action now. It all starts with a positive attitude. Commit to 2009 being successful and then go out and make it happen.

Below are steps to consider in your action plan:

1. Start with the end in mind.

Develop a clear picture of what you want to accomplish. State the end results in one sentence that even a child can imagine, understand, and remember. Consider the power of President Kennedy’s goal “to send a man to the moon and bring him safely back home within this decade”. Thousands of people did very detailed work and spent billions of dollars based on this simply stated goal.

2. Develop a written plan.

Get it on paper (or on the computer). Make the plan as specific as possible, in terms of what will be done and by when.

3. Enlist support of others.

Let them know what you are doing, and how they and others will benefit from the results you want to produce. Invite them to lend their support however they can.

4. Set up milestones and reporting systems.

Break the job down into segments, and set target dates for finishing each segment. Develop a reporting system on paper or via a good software program. Send regular reports to people who are working on your team, or who have an interest in your project.

5. Have a support system.

Set up the supports you need in your work and in your personal life. Have one or more advisors that you meet with regularly to report progress, and get advice and encouragement. Your personal coach can be one of these key people.

6. Monitor progress and make adjustments.

Realize that even the best plans need to be adjusted in the heat of battle. Make adjustments quickly and respond to new opportunities or short cuts along the way that help you reach your destination faster. If you find it difficult to get around or through certain roadblocks, get help and advice promptly.

7. Form mutually beneficial alliances with others.

Find out what other people or groups are natural allies and team up with them so you can help each other reach your objectives more easily and effectively.

8. Work your plan regularly and continuously.

Maintain a high focused activity level yourself, and get help when you need it. Don’t try to do everything yourself. Delegate as much as you can, and follow up with those to whom you delegate work.

9. Keep your allies on your side and your enemies at bay.

Inform your allies about progress you are making and problems you are having. Thank them for their help. Protect yourself from important enemies by setting up and maintaining boundaries between yourself and your enemies. Recognize that enemies can be within you as well as about you. When you find that you are doing things that impede your own progress, replace that activity or habit with a better one. Ask your advisors what you personally can do better. Then put the corrections in place.

10. Celebrate progress along the way.

Share the glory. Recognize and thank the people who have helped you produce results.

If after considering this list of things to do for success in 2009, you decide it is too much work then just keep doing what you have always done. In the meantime, your competition will be implementing these ideas and who do you think will end up with a better year?  I hope you decide it will be you.

We live in a 24 / 7 world. We live in an instant world. We live in a world where some people live time zones way from where they work. We carry our computer and phone with us wherever we go. In fact, the first thing people say to a group these days is “please turn off your cell phone.”

Therefore, there are tremendous demands on our time. People will often say “I just don’t have enough time or if only I had more time.”

This need for speed and responsiveness has left few people or businesses untouched. Only a few short years ago, we were amazed with the speed of the microwave and today we are impatient that a computer may take 2 minutes to boot-up.

There is no shortage of unique time management planning systems to solve the time management problem. However, the question is can you really manage time and the answer is not really. You can only manage you. Do you need a system? Yes. You need a system that fits your needs and one that you will use.

Before selecting a system however you need to develop a strategy that works for you. Effective utilization of time is a skill, a mindset and a lifestyle. It can be learned by:

Ø Anyone who has a desire to get more out of their life

Ø Someone who wants to feel more in control

Ø A person who wants to achieve success in business

Ø Someone who wants to reduce stress and realize more balance in their lives

So if you want to have more control of your time then you need to commit to Change. Everyone knows that if we continue to do the same thing, we will continue to get the same result. So if you want to have more control of your time then you need to change.

There are 3 basic things you can do that will result in better utilization of your time:

v Do It Now - We normally do what we like first and avoid what

we do not like. We often do things at the last

minute that could have been done earlier.

Change that habit with scheduling the things we do

not like to do first. It will give you more time for

those that you like.

v Dump It - We may clutter our desks and life’s with things

that should be thrown away. Piles of paper and

magazines for instance that really either need

to be read now or just dumped. It will clear the

way to getting important things done.

v Delegate - We do too many things that others should be doing.

We do it because we can do it cheaper, faster and

better when in fact it would be better to delegate.

So in summary, the effective use of time begins with you and your willingness to change your habits. In the words of Paul Meyer “Time is usually wasted in the same way every day.”

If you want more information about Time Strategies contact Hank Sullivan at Strategic Solutions. hsullivan@stratsolutions.net

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” These words were spoken in the movie Cool Hand Luke and today we hear them repeated over and over.  The reason we remember this statement is that we can all relate and we clearly understand what it means. How many times have you thought, when faced with a problem, if they had only listened to me. Or have you ever been told that the other person just didn’t understand what you meant.

 An example in a business situation is Charlie. Charlie is a new sales manager who decided that in order to increase sales, the sales force would need to generate new accounts. At his next sales meeting he told the sales staff the following: Every one is expected to bring in new business this month. At the end of the month, sales were up slightly but the sales force had not generated any new accounts. When Charlie asked them why they had not generated any new accounts, they responded that they didn’t know that he meant business from new accounts.

What happened?  It is obvious he did not communicate clearly to the sales force. He never told them what he really wanted nor did he ask if they clearly understood how they were expected to increase sales. What could Charlie have done differently?

1. He could have written down what he wanted to say such as: I want each of you to get a specific amount of business this month from new accounts in addition to the amount of business that you have been getting from existing accounts.
2. He could have role played it with another person and asked them what they understood by his request
3. He could have asked all the sales staff at the meeting to tell him how they expected to accomplish the goal
4. He could have asked them to update him regularly on their progress

Communication is not a precise science. It is not the exact transfer of information from one mind to another. Communication is the exchange of ideas between people. It involves not just telling but as importantly listening. Unless the person on the receiving end is receptive to the thoughts being sent, no real communication occurs. If you make a phone call but are unable to make a connection then there would be no sense in talking.

This is true of any form of communication. If no connection is made then no communication occurs.

In business and in our personal lives, in order to be an effective communicator we must first put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. We must be empathic and try to understand how our message might be received. We must give them the message clearly, concisely and then check to make sure that the recipients understand the meaning and what is expected on them.

If you are thinking that you do not have the time to communicate that specifically, then ask yourself how much time do I have to make up for the mistakes that could occur for not being clear.

In order to understand how to get your message across, it is important to examine

four fundamental principles of successful interpersonal communication:

1. The human mind can only fully concentrate on one thought at a time. So don’t make the communication too complicated.
2. The human mind transposes words into pictures. Different words mean different things to different people.
3. Too many words will clutter up communications. Be concise. When communicating keep it as simple and to the point as possible.
4. Be aware that communication always involves non-verbal communication. As an example, if someone is telling you that they are very concerned about you and your issue but takes a cell phone call in the middle of the conversation, they are clearly saying  non- verbally that you are not very important.

Finally, the most effective tool we have for communicating is listening. Benjamin Disraeli noted that “nature has given us two ears but only one mouth.” This may be nature’s way of telling us that listening is vital to our ability to effectively communicate. Below are some effective listening tips:

                            1. Take time to listen

                            2. Be attentive

                            3. Listen with an open mind

                            4. Listen for feelings

                            5. Listen for retention

In summary, for communication to be effective it must be two-way. Both people have to be focused on the conversation and one has to be listening. “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” Anthony Robbins

Wisdom is one of the primary characteristics of an outstanding leader – leaders have an insatiable curiosity for discovering and learning new things. Leadership and learning go together. If you have determined that your learning is behind the curve, then recommit yourself to seeking it out at every opportunity, in every conversation, around every corner. Do you have a process for continual self-improvement? Get hooked on the improvement habit. Here are some tips:

· Spend your time with optimistic, growing people.

· Become a reader. If you are not one already, this is an important source of learning and reflection. Many great books are available to inspire, guide, and instruct your improvement effort.

· Become a teacher. Give internal and external presentations on your area of expertise. Volunteer to present at the next professional conference you were just going to attend.

· Become a writer. Do you write in a journal for yourself? You can write articles for associations you belong to, your local paper, or internal newsletter.

· Become a speaker. I find that some of my best insights come from trying to articulate (or write) my thoughts.

· Become a listener. You can get hundreds of hours a year of education, inspiration, information, and instruction by listening. Try listening to audiotapes in your car.

· Become a student. Attend workshops, seminars, and training sessions. Take college courses.

· Keep your commitments. Call back when you promised (or before). Meet your deadlines. Show up on time. Under-promise and over-deliver.

· Put quotes, goals, reminders, and vision statements where you will see them throughout your day. Keep changing them and moving them around so you don’t start to look past them.

· Develop a personal improvement plan. Schedule time for personal and professional improvement as if your career depended on it. It does!

Finally, never give up. Leaders are people who show themselves and others that they set high goals and regardless of the obstacles will always work to achieve them. Here is an example of just such a person:

In 1831- He failed in business

In 1832- He was defeated for the Legislature

In 1833- He failed in a second business venture

In 1834- He was elected to the State Legislature

In 1840- He was defeated for elector

In 1838- He was defeated for Speaker of the Legislature

In 1844- He was defeated for a Congressional seat

In 1846- He was elected to Congress

In 1848-He was defeated for his Congressional Seat

In 1855- He was defeated in a run for Senate

In 1856- He ran for Vice President but did not win

In 1858- He ran again for the Senate and again lost

In 1860- Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States

Although Lincoln was a unique person , his life proves that setting ambitious goals and constantly striving for success are the attributes of good leaders.

Every sale involves no less than six ( 6) steps. You must complete each step in order to insure a successful outcome.

Step 1- Meet someone new. Even if you have been doing business with a company for a long time, you had to meet some one new to begin the relationship.

Step 2- Establish a favorable first impression. You need to make the person feel comfotable that doing business with you will be a good thing to do. This involves your demeanor, attire, smiling, concern, and in general putting them at ease.

Step 3- Find out where the pain lies. The new contact is not interested in what you have to sell unless they have a need. So you must discover what is of concern to them long before you can offer any solution.

Step 4- What’s in it for them. People do not like to buy unless there is something in it for them.So you need to make sure that the solution offers a benefit to them. Most people listen to the same radio station (WIIFM) What’s In it for me.

Step 5- Ask for the Order. More sales have been lost when the sales person simply never asked for the order. The customer expects you to ask and often when you don’t they will either simply not buy or will buy from another person who asks for it.

Step 6- Follow-up. Many customers will feel slighted because although they may have liked the product or service without proper follow-up they will go elsewhere for future purchases. Remember it is 5 times as difficult to get new business as it is to get repeat business.

Hank Sullivan

To get better results we must stay focused on the goal. How often have you heard or said:

•  Times are tough
•  The economy is bad
•  There is not enough time
•  Our prices are too high
•  We need more customers or prospects
•  Our competition has a better product

If we accepted those excuses for not achieving our business goals most businesses would go out of business and many do. To overcome this type of thinking we must stay focused on our goals and take action every day to achieve them.

When we stay focused on success we achieve the following:

• We change the way we look at things and the things we look at change
• We become aware of new possibilities
• We create new, different and more productive choices
• We create new and different life experiences
• We ask more questions and get more positive answers
• We create more opportunities to further sharpen our focus and improve the outcomes.

The importance of focus is that it provides you with your direction for success. It helps you remove the excuses and achieve at levels never attained before.

So how do you get that focus?

Ask yourself the following questions:

Ø      Am I doing what I need to do to be successful?

Ø      Am I asking for help when I need to?

Ø      Do I know what I am doing wrong?

Ø      Am I developing better habits personally and professionally?

Ø      Do I have a plan for success?

Ø      What is my real focus?

When you have the answers to these questions, then you can develop our focused plan for success.

Former Olympic Champion Bruce Jenner has this to say about focus “ To me, the definition of focus is knowing exactly where you want to be today, next week, next month, next year and then never deviating from your plan. Once you can see, touch and feel your objective, all you have to do is pull back and put all your strength behind it and you will hit your target every time.”

Hank Sullivan is a nationally certified business coach, author and speaker. His newest book is entitled “Speaking of Success”. If you need help in developing your focus contact him at hsullivan@stratsolutions.net or call 510-432-7596.