Will You Add? - Business

Look Cool - Lean Back with Bistro Tables and Chairs
If brown is the new black, then bistro table and chairs are the new furniture. Well, they would be, except that they have been around for almost two centuries now. Ask most people what a bistro table and chair set actually is and, chances are, they will shrug their shoulders and say they don't know. But, really, we've all seen them, especially those of us who live in cities or countries that exhibit continental sophistication. Yes, you have that right. The bistro table and chairs set is that easy-looking trio of small, inauspicious dining furniture that crowds the sidewalks, providing perching, posing, or lounging space to any city's latt? or mocha-drinking population.Bistro in a Hurry Bistro tables and chairs take their name from the famous and characteristically Parisian style of dining known as bistro. Bistros are cafes that sprang up everywhere around Paris towards the end of the 19th century. They served small but very tasty meals, often to soldiers who are in a hurry. This explains the name "bistro," which comes from the Russian or Slovak derivative "Bystr?," literally meaning "hurry." Bistro tables and chairs were developed and patented by the Frenchman Edouard Lecler, circa 1889. He developed the original bistro tables and chairs from steel, making it suitable for outdoor dining while still being small and portable enough to be folded up or stacked away with minimum storage space needed.The Metamorphosis You are probably familiar with the original bistro table and chair designs, where the chair's back and

erruptus” when a prospect withdraws before something “serious” happens. Arrrrrg!

So, during your initial discussion you’ve outlined and evaluated clients’ cost of staying where they are right now, and the value of getting to the promised land. This actually establishes your value, which is a basis of your fees. (For more on this see “It's All About Your Value: Service Professionals’ Guide to Setting, Raising and Safeguarding Fees” http://www.di-squad.com/resources/its-all-about-your-value.html)

So, now clients is excited about the opportunities waiting for them at the promised land, and mistakenly assume that you do all the necessary work and you actually carry them on your back to the new destination. This sets up false expectations, and if something unexpected happens (always does), you get blamed for everything, including the Spanish inquisition.

So, let’s start and communicate this pain of change.

Small Annoyances Can Make a Big Impact on a Business's Bottom Line
Sales clerks who stand behind the counter gabbing to friends and ignoring the customer in front of them; product return personnel who refuse to honor their store's return policy; bank employees who get surly and defensive when questioned about possible errors on a depositor's bank statement.These slights and others can cost a business thousands in lost revenues and even the loss of their reputation in the community. Customers who have been treated rudely or who see themselves as having been cheated or ripped off in some way are likely to vote with their feet, walking out of a business and in the door of a similar business down the street that presents itself as more welcoming. Even more serious, customers who see themselves as slighted generally tell other people, which can impact a business's reputation very quickly. Once tarnished, a company's public reputation is very hard to repair.Proper hiring and training of customer service personnel is paramount. Employees who enjoy interacting with customers and who genuinely want to help resolve problems are a valuable asset to a business. Beyond that, company customer return policies and problem resolution procedures must make it easy for employees to make things right for the customer; the most enthusiastic, dedicated employees in the world aren't going to be wholly effective if company policies work against them in their dealing with the customer. The success of any business depends on its relationship with its cu

This month we discuss what so many professionals miss with their prospects and that often cause surprises after the project has started. It is discussing the pains of change with clients. The problem is that very often clients invite your to their sinking ships hoping that you get their sinking ships into smooth cruising mode again within a day or two, and often for a competitive(ly low) fee.

And when this doesn’t happen (According to Dr. Edgar Schein, over 90% of consulting projects fail because of undisclosed events, non-discussable and lack of action on clients’ sides), very often consultants get blamed for failing to achieve the projected results. But who is in the driving seat? You or the client? Who is the decision maker? No, not you? Thus final outcomes cannot be in your hands. And you must communicate this to your clients.

However, making consultants responsible for the outcomes of their clients’ projects is just as futile as making parents single-handedly responsible for their kids’ accomplishments. Consultants, just like parents, are not the ultimate decision-makers.

You can't even guarantee whether or not your clients get out of bed in the morning let alone whether they use or discard your advice. In plain English: You are NOT in charge. The client is.

Regardless of what parents do for their kids, and regardless of how much they help their kids to achieve it, if the kids consciously DECIDE to get involved in crime or drugs, the is not a dickybird parents can do about it. Responsibility for achieving results and authority for making decisions come hand in hand. You can’t separate the two.

By nature people are scared of the unknown aspects of change, and, interestingly, when the change process is promoted to be a smooth ride and a neat slope with a steady gradient, some people get excited and jumps on the opportunity, but some people become extra cautious.

So, how does the military handle total buy-in from new recruits? Read the next paragraph from General Patton preparing his troops for battle.

“You are not all going to die. Only two percent of you right here today would die in a major battle. Death must not be feared. Death, in time, comes to all men. Yes, every man is scared in his first battle. If he says he’s not, he’s a liar.”

The US Navy’s SEAL Unit vehemently promotes the most intense part of their training, called “Hell Week”. They tell potential recruits about all the pain and suffering they have to endure in order to become full-blown members of one of the most respected units in the American military machine.

And guess what, when people are mentally prepared for the hardship, they can better take it. And attrition rate in the military is a lot lower than project failure rate in the world of consulting.

In the world of professional services there is the current situation, the desired situation and the unknown “swamp” clients have to go through to reach the “promised land.”

The key is to tell clients that it is a swamp full of alligators and mosquitoes not a rose garden with colourful butterflies, the journey to cross the swamp to the promised land will be more of a tough hike with blood, sweat and tears than a pleasure cruise with cute waitresses and celebrity hunks.

Clients know what is happening to them right now, and often can get a concept of what can wait for them in the promised land, but still, they are scared to death of crossing the swamp. And since you have crossed many swamps many times and arrived at many promised lands, you can tell your clients about what to expect on the journey and what to take with them. You can recommend them to take a rifle and a big knife, and leave their make-up sets and iPods at home.

When I defected from Hungary in 1988 with no money and no English, I knew I was in for a pretty rough ride. I knew I could end up being deported right away or being dumped into a refugee camp living like a rat until I would have a chance to find work and be released to the normal world (a.k.a. the rate race. Oh these fiendish vermin are everywhere). Just like me, many of my friends were fed up with the communist system, but unlike me, in spite of knowing the beauties and benefits of the promised land, they found the swamp too scary to cross, and decided to stay.

Many prospective clients are like that too. And the sooner they decide whether or not they are willing to cross the swamp with you, the better it is both for your piggy bank and sanity. Imagine you go through several meetings, write a proposal and then the prospect pulls back. A sort of “projectus interruptus” when a prospect withdraws before something “serious” happens. Arrrrrg!

So, let’s start and communicate this pain of change.

What Color is Your Marketing and What is It Saying?
Do you have any idea what role color plays in your marketing efforts? And if so, do you know what message your marketing efforts are conveying with the colors you use? Let me tell you that the colors you use in your marketing efforts – your brochures, business cards, letterhead, signage, office interiors, and more – play a very important role in motivating people. The colors speak loudly and clearly, so I believe it is in our best interest to learn what the colors convey in our marketing.The importance of color because of its “hidden language” is well known. I witnessed this firsthand several years ago when I was asked to and agreed to participate in a study being conducted by the Harvard Business School. I was one of a selected number of executives to be interviewed and asked many questions about color and emotions about color. Major corporations that produced consumer products sponsored the research. We were not told the specific sponsors.Colors do stimulate our emotions and can generate negative reactions if used improperly. It has been stated that lasting impressions are made within 90 seconds and color accounts for 60 percent of the acceptance or rejection. So pleased be warned – learn what colors will mean to your prospects and what emotions they may trigger.Since colors are so important, it behooves us to learn what message they convey in our marketing efforts. Here is a brief overview to facilitate our learning some basics of the meaning of colors in our marketing.Red: conveys aggressiveness, pa

ts get out of bed in the morning let alone whether they use or discard your advice. In plain English: You are NOT in charge. The client is.

So, how does the military handle total buy-in from new recruits? Read the next paragraph from General Patton preparing his troops for battle.

“You are not all going to die. Only two percent of you right here today would die in a major battle. Death must not be feared. Death, in time, comes to all men. Yes, every man is scared in his first battle. If he says he’s not, he’s a liar.”

And guess what, when people are mentally prepared for the hardship, they can better take it. And attrition rate in the military is a lot lower than project failure rate in the world of consulting.

In the world of professional services there is the current situation, the desired situation and the unknown “swamp” clients have to go through to reach the “promised land.”

So, let’s start and communicate this pain of change.

An Exercise in Creating Your Future
There are two kinds of people: Those who wait for events to carry them along, and those who take what comes and with it design their own futures.One of the most powerful success factors in life is envisioning a future. You cannot reach what you cannot imagine. Envisioning a state of affairs of your own desire is the first step in making the future happen.A Simple ExerciseConsider a project you are working on today. Perhaps it's starting your own business, building a tool shed, creating a quilt, or taking an adventure vacation in Cambodia. Pick any goal so long as it has deep significance for you.Now...let your imagination roam for a minute. What does the successful outcome of your project look like? How do you think you will feel once you've achieved it?Let your mind stay in that vision a little longer, then take a pen and paper -- or sit down at the keyboard -- and finish the following sentence:On the day my project sees success, I awake in the morning and...Describe what that day is like for you. How is your life different? What are the significant others in your life doing? Where do you go? What can you see yourself doing?Your Successful OutcomeThere is no secret to why the act of envisioning a successful outcome is so important. The act of imagining the thing as complete sets off a complex sequence of thinking.Envisioning stimulates a natural process that gets you brainstorming about the next actions you can take to reach th

lockquote>

And guess what, when people are mentally prepared for the hardship, they can better take it. And attrition rate in the military is a lot lower than project failure rate in the world of consulting.

In the world of professional services there is the current situation, the desired situation and the unknown “swamp” clients have to go through to reach the “promised land.”

So, let’s start and communicate this pain of change.

Don't Use A Needle Valve To Control Your Air Cylinder Speed!
Many industrial machines using compressed air as an energy source, use air cylinders or other pneumatic actuators to do the actual work.Compressed air is 'explosive' as it moves from high pressure to low pressure on it's way back to atmosphere. That means when the air valve shifts and air flows to the cylinder, the cylinder piston and rod moves extremely quickly. A high speed cylinder rod may not be best for your application, and you will want to reduce the speed and the impact.One easy method of controlling the speed of an air cylinder is installing flow controls in the air lines between the valve to the air cylinder, in the cylinder ports themselves, or even in the exhaust ports of the air valve, though the latter is least desirable.In the 'valve exhaust' type flow control the controls themselves may be far enough away from the cylinder that the piston and rod may have traveled the full stroke before the exhaust flow control can start back-pressuring the line to slow the cylinder. Cylinder control reaction time is always negatively affected depending on the distance from the cylinder to the flow control.Some folks opt for needle valves to throttle the flow of air into and out of the air cylinder, thereby reducing it's speed. The problem with using a needle valve to control the speed of an air cylinder is that it throttles the compressed air flow equally in both directions.If you are using a larger cylinder, by throttling the air into the cylinder, you are actually preventing the smooth cylinder stroke desi

g the swamp. And since you have crossed many swamps many times and arrived at many promised lands, you can tell your clients about what to expect on the journey and what to take with them. You can recommend them to take a rifle and a big knife, and leave their make-up sets and iPods at home.

So, let’s start and communicate this pain of change.

Fall In Love With Learning How To Carry And Use Your Marbles At All Times!
You must become a business developer! Fall in love with learning how to carry and use your marbles at all times! Children under eleven years old ask first, then they tell because they are cute. Twelve years and older are not cute anymore. Now you have to give someone a reason first, then ask. Your tell & ask should not be more than 30 seconds. A TV commercial is 30 seconds. The Challenge is to use your imagination and give them a reason to give you what you want. The best tellers are the best sellers. You can always improve on, your tell, your reason.Carry three marbles at all times. The marbles remind you to A-s-k and you shall receive most of the time. Before you ask, (give) tell them a reason you should get what you want to serve humanity with humility. Telling is not selling; asking for what you really want is selling.90% of what you want, you must tell & ask one to three people. 10% of what you want, you must tell & ask four to 500 people. Because is a reason. Please is also a reason.In your tell and ask, you must establish 1. Friendliness. 2. Know that you are practicing your tell & ask. Doctors practice, Lawyers practice etc. 3. Prove that you are not afraid to tell & ask everyone and anyone on the planet. The response to your request will be. Yes= 1. Yes- or 2. Tell me more No = 1. I’m Too Busy, 2. It’s Too expensive, too much trouble, (both or the same issue.) 3. I want to think about it If yes is

erruptus” when a prospect withdraws before something “serious” happens. Arrrrrg!

So, let’s start and communicate this pain of change.

Ask prospects about their concern and worries regarding the change effort, and then elaborate on each item to the level of details as necessary. Then bring up whatever has been missed. If prospects express concerns about mosquitoes only, then bring up the alligators. Tell prospects that if they step off the path, the swamp can swallow them. These are not scare tactics, like “Unless you buy my fire alarm system, your kids will burn alive and you will hear them scream for the rest of your life.” This is different. Here you use fear to make a buying decision.

Your prospects have already made a buying decisions based on their values. All you do is just fill them in on the details of what may or may not happen during the journey across the swamp. Take some time together to discover all the perceived dangers. If they don’t happen that’s great, but if they do happen and your clients are not properly prepared, then they freak out like injured animals, they can become totally unpredictable and you can be in pretty deep yoghurt. That is what some clients demand their money back or threaten to take you to court. It can be pretty nasty.

So, for a moment remember your first day at university.

"People, you may feel a bit crowded right but relax. In a few months half of you will be out of here."

So, students understand that unless they are willing to work their butts off, they will soon be out with no hope in hell to retrieve the tuition they paid at the beginning of the course. And if they want to come back later, they have to pay again.

The other important point is to make buyers understand that before the situation improves, it will worsen. It is the same as people shortly before dying often get seemingly better get, and then without much fuss, song and dance they irreversibly kick the bucket.

Therefore you must discuss the pains of change while making the conceptual agreement with buyers. They must know what they are about to get into. Remember, fear of failure is a huge withholding power in people’s lives.

In most organisations change takes place at five levels:

1. ASSET LEVEL: For industrial organisations assets are the buildings, computer systems, production lines, the fleet of company cars and the photocopier. For a professional service firm it is their people. This is such basic change as buying a new photocopier. However, some people may insist on keeping the old copier because they are used to it.

2. ROAD MAP LEVEL: This is plans, systems and processes that enable organisations to go from A to B and actually navigate through the jungles of commerce throughout its lifetime. The road map also includes, policies, procedures, code of conduct, scripts and every piece of information that can be codified into written documents. Change at this level seems to be easy, but at this level we don’t know whether or not people are interested in changing at all.

3. CAPABILITY LEVEL: This is the skills and competencies of the people organisations employ to produce what they produce. This includes both explicit (learnt through memorising information) and tacit (intuition, finesse, gut feeling, “trench work.” Basically cellular level knowledge) experience. Two police officers can have the same level of explicit knowledge, but the one who has personally led numerous raids on drug operations where the bullets were flying has significantly more tacit experience.

This is why it is huge mistake to hire people (employees, contractors or advisors) based on resumes (explicit knowledge). I dare to say Donald Trump’s assistant knows more about real estate than most realtors out there who are certified to the hilt and registered with every association that has something to do with real estate. The person can be explicitly amazing but tacitly amazingly incompetent. Your expertise is about 20% explicit knowledge and 80% of tacit information (intuition and gut feeling, trench work, basically cellular level knowledge).

The mistake here is that by sending people to training courses, managers expect instant performance improvement from their people as soon as they return from the course. But people do need time to turn the new information into new skills. For a doctor a fairly long time goes by between the first anatomy lesson at medical school and the first real heart surgery. I’ve never come across a doctor who can operate on people one day after graduation. A law school graduate must be invited to the bar to practise. It can only happen in the world of commerce that after graduation a freshly minted MBA demands, and often receives a senior management position with a corner office a personal secretary, some mind-numbing bonuses (on what?) and a company Mercedes.

4. INTENTION LEVEL: This is the major driving force behind and change initiative. It is fair

HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.atriclecheck.com/article/4666/atriclecheck-Discussing-The-Pains-of-Change-with-Clients.html">Discussing The Pains of Change with Clients</a>

BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.atriclecheck.com/article/4666/atriclecheck-Discussing-The-Pains-of-Change-with-Clients.html]Discussing The Pains of Change with Clients[/url]

I have learned that time management is a huge issue with many of my clients. So, to help with this common problem, below are some tips to at least get you started on how to make the most out of your limited resource: Time.

Distribution of Paychecks to different sites can be a costly exercise. Retail and Service businesses often have this need and if handled in-house, can be cumbersome with the risk of unreliable delivery resulting in unhappy employees as well as having security and privacy flaws adding further to financial and legal risks.

Studies have proven that taxes are high or better still have increased and might still increase in the developing countries especially the African countries and employees are always seeking ways to minimize their tax bite. In addition, a rise in salary may only provide very little additional spendable income. A more advantageous devise may be the deferral of income to a person's later years through the use of a qualified pension plan, profit sharing or deferred compensation plan. Such a devise might also enable an executive to maintain her current standard of living even after she retires. Finally a qualified pension or profit - sharing plan will enable an executive or employee to build up a large estate.

Tags

Links

Will You Add? - Discussing The Pains of Change with Clients

Related Articles: