EMPIRICAL EXPERTISE

Seeing a New Color

2011-12-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

"I never perfected an invention that I did not think about in terms of the service it might give others... I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent."

~ Thomas Edison

Imagine that you have seen a new color. This color is not a new mix created from our current color wheel. Once seen, your view of the world would change and you would be able to see it everyday, interwoven like a thread or over everything like a broad brush stroke. Imagine trying to describe it to someone. The initial attempts to describe it would be filled with a series of "likes," "but not's," and "kind of likes." Finally, these attempts will give way to descriptions associated with feelings, experiences, scenarios, and imagination.
This is the bittersweet exhilaration of the Entrepreneurial spirit. You see "The New," "The Next," "The Better." You come to know that "The Best" is found in the passion and vision, not in an end-product. True entrepreneurs do not want to keep their vision to themselves. They are anxious to get the idea out, developed, and functional. They see the improbable as possible.

So, the next time someone comes up with an idea - nourish it and help them develop it through discovery questions, not critical ones. The entrepreneur will face plenty of criticism from the world. But they have seen a "new color" that until the world sees it, it won't believe in it. Believe first in the person, then the product - then you will see the "new color" that they are talking about.

~Jason Saetrum

Structured Religious Government as a Model for Building and Running a Business

2011-12-07T15:40:00.001-07:00

Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a loveaffair.
~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

Both a religion and a business introduce a doctrine or product.The potential converts either see the object as a need, convinced it is a need,or don’t see it as applicable. Once converted / purchased, the success storyestablishes a stronger sense of desire and interest among others. Themissionary program markets and sells the product. The government establishes atop-down administrative model that does not cave to fickle individuals. Changesin the product periphery do not change the organizational structure, practices,or core doctrine / product line. The church extends distribution by openingadditional parishes and adding converts. To maintain quality control, the churchrequires certification, ongoing training, standardization of teachings, demonstrationof understanding, and quality audits. The model continues to grow in reach andconversions, strengthening at each step.

"I" Am Part of "Us"

2011-09-16T16:09:00.000-06:00

There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit."

~ Pres. Ronald Reagan

Photos from www.motorsport.com

~ Jason Saetrum

Put Customer Support out of Business

2011-09-09T11:29:00.000-06:00

“The birth of the new constitutes a crisis, and its mastery calls for a crude and simple cast of mind -- the mind of a fighter -- in which the virtues of tribal cohesion and fierceness and infantile credulity and malleability are paramount. Thus every new beginning recapitulates in some degree man's first beginning.”

~ Eric Hoffer

Properly approached, Customer Support's evolutionary goal is to put itself out of business by transforming from a Cost Center to a Profit Center.

Correct utilization of a Customer Support department is to ascertain customers' needs, then systematize an automated solution. The vision is to comprehend your customer and provide for their needs and wants in the most simplistic and universal way. Ask yourself, "Why is your product(s) failing to meet all of your customers' needs up front?" A company cannot successfully blame the customer - this is an arrogant approach that seeks to excuse the company from accountability and stifles ingenuity.

Following are common evolutionary stages of Customer Support. Each stage represents a varied level of change in the culture of the Support division, but the complete evolutionary change will not be realized unless the changes are supported and implemented throughout the company. Hopefully by appreciating the stages listed below, companies may be able to avoid most pitfalls. Not all stages need to be gone through to realize the final product, but the lessons and growth of each is critical.

Scramble to get triage in place to address product / service failures. Provide answers, troubleshooting, and to place orders.
Evaluate internal processes to identify gaps in being able to assist customers (the gaps are typically the lack of knowledge and skills in employees, IT infrastructure issues, lack of operational efficiency, poor management, lack of empowerment, and a sense of disorganization because a lack of experience and knowledge at all levels).
Begin the cycle of process improvement to address gaps. Unfortunately, Customer Support progress is hindered by a lack of executive support in either finances or assistance. The executive level is notorious for viewing Support as a necessary evil and a financial black hole. NOTE: this is the point at which most evolution is stifled, and improvements are minimal, slow, and driven by fear of losing one's job. Most progress during this time can be attributed to those team members who take personal pride in not giving up and keep pushing.
Typically, the executive team believes that failures in Support are due to the inabilities of the Support staff. Consultants are commonly brought on to evaluate the needs of the Support division. The executive team commonly expects the consultants to provide them with information that supports their predetermined notions, and at times finds it hard to look beyond these notions.Executive team hires new leadership (permanent or consultants) to drive improvements. This is most likely needed since Support leadership is initially comprised of "buddies" of the founding executives, who do not contain the required skill-sets to take the division to the next level.
Determine customer contact drivers (items driving customers to call for support). This involves the categorization (qualification and quantification) of these drivers.
Evaluate the contact drivers for areas to improve Support processes. The identification of gaps now loops in contact drivers.
Realization that new / improved IT tools need to be put into place to properly support the customer, product life-cycles, maintain legal history, and capture data for further evaluation.
With a new plateau of progress in cost savings and revenue generation, executive team brings in a new set of consultants to change the culture of the Support division. These changes typically involve the development of management skills, better approaches to resolving issues (customer and employee), performance-based incentives, and an occasional leadership change if there are significant issues. It is recommended that the consultant perform "skip-level" interviews with "lower-level" staff (including front-line, supervisors, and etc.) to get a more complete picture of the division and areas of opportunity.
Based upon consultant recommendations, new processes, procedures, operational structures, and etc. are typically implemented.
Customer satisfaction data collection and evaluation. The identification of gaps now loops in the needs and wants of customers. This is a huge evolutionary step.
Set attainable, yet aggressive, goals on improving customer satisfaction. Goals need to have measurable components to track and report progress.
Implement process / product / service improvement teams. The feedback and goals should be 360, with insights being provided and utilized by all divisions of the company - executive financial commitments, product development, Support empowerment, and etc.
The final ingredients require: A) a company culture that is cohesive and committed 360 (across all divisions); 2) A comprehensive view of contact drivers and customer satisfaction needs. With these items in place, the company will be better able to design products / services that transform the front-line Support team to not only become part of the product / service, but a "value-add" - an enhancement to the company's products and services.
The Support division becomes a part of the company, not just a "clean-up" team.

The moral is: To realize the evolutionary change from Cost Center to Profit Center the culture change must occur throughout the entire company and not just a division. The Support division is part of the product / service that the company is offering. Like a chain, the product / service is only as good as the poorest quality component. Make Support your strongest component... because it will drive the quality of the whole.

~ Jason Saetrum

If You Want a Thing Bad Enough

2011-09-02T16:57:00.000-06:00

If you want a thing bad enough to go out and fight for it, work day and night for it,
Give up your time and your peace and your sleep for it
If only desire of it makes you quite mad enough never to tire of it,
Makes you hold all other things tawdry and cheap for it
If life seems all empty and useless without it
And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,
If gladly you'll sweat for it, fret for it, plan for it,
Lose all your terror of God or man for it,
If you'll simply go after that thing that you want.
With all your capacity, strength and sagacity,
Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,
If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt,
Nor sickness nor pain of body or brain
Can turn you away from the thing that you want,
If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it,
You'll get it!

~ Berton Braley

Corporate Acupuncture

2011-08-26T17:13:00.000-06:00

"The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you're in control of your life. If you don't, life controls you."

~ Anthony Robbins

Everywhere there is a "touch-point" there is the possibility of a "pain-point." Touch-points could also be viewed as points of interaction between two unique identities - the interface. Typical interactions include customer & customer service, application A & application B, and etc. Issues between touch-points are typically failures in the communication medium. The goal here is to minimize and eliminate pain-points. Ideally, we turn every touch-point to a "pleasure-point."

Companies need to remember that customers are buying the product / service for what it provides, not for what it is. In its entirety, a product includes ALL touch-points between the customer and the company - including vendors, documentation, advertising, web, customer service, and etc. To better appreciate this concept, consider everything that the company is paying for to obtain a happy, paying, loyal, vocal customer.

To prioritize, companies need to perform a Cost / Benefit analysis - qualify and quantify the soft and hard impacts. There are no pain-points that won't negatively impact the bottom-line.

Some of the common touch-points to consider include the following:

Customer: Direct (web, phone, face-to-face) or indirect (policies, procedures, manufacturing, after-market repairs) contact with the customer
IT: Interaction (connectivity, functionality, efficiency) within the IT or other physical infrastructures.
Financial: Revenue streams (direct, indirect, secondary, etc.), and costs (consider all vertical and horizontal business partners).
Operational: Infrastructure (operational, organizational, procedural, communication channels and methods, physical and virtual connectivity, and etc.)
Employees: Employee KSA's (knowledge, skills, and abilities) and company related interactions with the employee (payroll, organization, training, rewards).

In evaluating these touch-points, look at their effectiveness, efficiency, and resources utilized. At each process / step / point, assign a $ figure. While looking at the costs or revenue streams, look for ways to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and resources utilized. One can continue evaluating by performing a SWOT or Porter’s Five Forces analysis and make plans to turn everything into a Strength and Opportunity.

By having this comprehensive vision of the company, division, or team, you can quickly see the areas of opportunity to maximize profits, reduce overhead, perform and provide more effectively and efficiently, and establish realistic ROI projections to justify financial allocations.

~ Jason Saetrum

Stop Enabling Your Infrastructure Gaps

2011-08-19T14:17:00.000-06:00

"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus. "

~ Alexander Graham Bell

As corporate performance is evaluated, it needs to be accepted that gaps in infrastructure are either costing the company time, money, efficiency, effectiveness, or inhibiting its growth (Infrastructure referring to technology, knowledge, skills, policies, procedures, people, and etc.)

The following steps are used to flush out and eliminate technical gaps by establishing the correct IT infrastructure top-down and not by evolving bottom-up. Technical infrastructure should always be built around the business requirements needed to achieve success and must be scalable for growth.

Establish clear, measurable corporate and divisional goals.
Associate hard $$$ figures to each goal - this will aid in determining ROI and assist in justifying implementation costs.
Identify the specific results that will achieve the goals.
Establish the specific a) business practices; b) information; and c) metrics needed to drive the results.
Layout the business requirements needed to support these initiatives.
Determine and design what IT tools need to be put into place to provide the required information, metrics, and 'hard' policies ('hard' policies are restrictions and requirements build into the functionality or limitations of an IT tool.) Operations will drive 'soft' policies ('soft' policies are requirements and restrictions managed through training and face-to-face interaction.) Policies outline the best practice activities.
Implement.

IF existing IT and Operational infrastructures are in place:

Complete steps 1 - 6 listed above, then...
Separately line-up the existing and the desired IT and Operational infrastructures.
Identify gaps between the two. (Note: the desired IT and Operational infrastructures are the solutions. Any intermediate steps used to reach the same results are 'workarounds' and NOT solutions. Items and activities used to quickly bridge/workaround a gap are 'stop-gaps.')
Put together a project plan on getting from 'here' to 'there' - technically and operationally. Note all interdependencies.
Implement.

This way policies and tools will be built around best practices (used to achieve the goals) vs. the improved support of current practices. (Note: anticipate the need to mitigate the impact of new policies, procedures, and tools on the staff.)

~ Jason Saetrum

Leadership and the Leaf

2011-08-12T17:05:00.000-06:00

"The key to change... is overcoming fear."

~Rosanne Cash

By default people are adverse to change. People will continue in a given path, or paradigm, until their current paradigm becomes too painful to stay in - when their pain overcomes their fear (what a miserable way to grow and develop).

Leading a team to a successful solution often requires change. It may be a minor course correction or the equivalent of turning an aircraft-carrier. Most of the time the definition of success does not come from the team members, but comes from customers, clients, or the management team. The first step is taking the time to make sure that everyone involved understands how success is defined, and that each of them are responsible for making it a reality.

One common obstacle are team members so ingrained in doing their job/function a certain way that they go through "shock" and see the change as a complete redraft of their "identity." At times they may feel that they are seen as failures because the goal has changed, and that perhaps their efforts weren't good enough. Some employees may take it to the next level of seeing the leaders as personal threats.

Leaders need to continually keep the definition of success in front of the teams' eyes. There needs to be metrics and measurements, reporting of progress, genuine and specific feedback and compliments. Leaders need to stay confident and focused.

An excellent example is from Disney's movie "A Bug's Life." In this scene, ants are working on gathering food for the winter and a leaf falls into their path. So used to the normal way of doing things, this obstacle becomes insurmountable for the working ants. Following is the dialogue between the ants:

FIRST ANT IN LINE: I’m lost!!! Where’s the line?! What do we do?!
ANOTHER ANT: We’ll be stuck here forever!
MR. SOIL: Do not panic! Do not panic! We are trained professionals. Now, stay calm. We are going around the leaf.
FIRST ANT: Around the leaf? I don’t think we can do that.
MR. SOIL: Oh, nonsense! This is nothing compared to the “Twig of ‘93”. (He begins to guide them around the fallen leaf.) That’s it…that’s it…good! There you go, there you go! Watch my eyes; don’t look away. And here’s the line again!
FIRST ANT: Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Soil!
MR. SOIL: Good job, everybody!

One key to overcoming fear is to look to someone that has already overcome it themselves. Leaders will sacrifice their fear for success. The most common fear is not just of the unknown, but that the consequences of facing the unknown will embarrass or threaten the pride of the individuals.

Real life:
Once I was faced with changing the mind-set of a team of customer service technicians who were dedicated to, and took pride in, troubleshooting computer components to the "nth" degree. Faced with the rising costs of support and the falling margins in product sales, the client reset the definition of success - resulting in a "hard" time limit on how long a product could be troubleshot.
Upon delivering these new guidelines and reaffirming the requirement for high resolution rates and high quality of customer service, the technicians began throwing their hands up in the air and asking how this could be done, etc., etc.

A brief snapshot of "going around the leaf..."

I re-clarified how the client defined success, answered questions until we were all in complete understanding, and established how success was to be measured. Made sure that everyone understood that they were responsible and accountable for making success happen.
I setup charts, whiteboards, and other reporting components to keep status and the goal front and center, and to keep the team informed. It lets the team know that we are all in this together and that we are keeping an eye on it. Assign the updating of the boards, and etc. to different team members (at times giving it to the lower performer) to reinforce the ownership of the performance.
Take the time to give everyone one-on-one feedback, identify top performers, and set personal goals with the lower performers (when setting goals with team members / subordinates, always include what you as a leader can do to assist them) and never fail to follow-up (and never call public attention to the low performer). Ideally, you get the client or executive team involved in recognizing the individual and team performance.
Continually remind the team members what their responsibilities are, how success is defined and measured, keep them informed, hold them accountable, and stay positive (!)... Rally the troops!

~ Jason Saetrum

Orient Your Compass

2011-08-05T21:33:00.000-06:00

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it."

~ Helen Keller

It is essential to have leadership that is visionary and solution-oriented. A leader needs to look beyond the current paradigm, perceive existing and potential threats, and envision success in its multiple levels and final attainment.

To be "goal-oriented" is not enough. "Solution-oriented" will always lead to the higher ideal and requires sacrifice of even one's self. Goals will lead to achievements whether they be productive or not, while successful solutions will lead to systems of worthy achievements. "Solution-oriented" ultimately assumes that there are things in life worth more than one's life.

The key to business and life is to be solution-oriented, and then surround yourself with leaders that imbue that same attribute.

~ Jason Saetrum

It's All About the "Honest Self"

2011-07-29T12:02:00.000-06:00

"Complete Honesty in being Self-aware, Self-assessing, and Self-correcting are the keys to achievement"

~ Jason Saetrum

I approach this subject as a declaration that true leaders are those that have these characteristics. Only with these internal systems working are leaders able to lead with vision, integrity, and course-correction as needed.

If we're going to get down to success, real success, in life and business we need to be "real" in our lives and with ourselves. This entry is a bit more that just about self-reflection. We need to "turn on" our ability and obligation to be self-aware, self-assessing, self-correcting, and self-improving. This is not a one-time thing. It may start out as a significant awakening, but we need to build these abilities both into our conscious and subconscious, so that as we go through our day we are able to imperceptibly, optimize those incremental moments of time to improve. Without performing these functions in honesty we live in a world of self-justification and lies. Happiness is an imitation and will always be based upon external circumstances.

Though sometimes painful, each of us needs to begin at our own level and understanding. "To thine own self be true" ("Hamlet," Shakespeare). We should never let external comparison get in the way of our progression. "Determination" is what we need to reach our "best self."

Following is a passage from a speech that I believe is very applicable here:

"The issue is truth... and the only way to find truth is through uncompromising self-education toward self-honesty to see the original “real me,” ...in its innocence and potential in contrast to the influence from the other part of me, “the flesh,” with its selfish desires and foolishness. Only in that state of pure honesty are we able to see truth in its complete dimension. Honesty may not be everything, but everything is nothing without honesty." (F. Enzio Busche, “Truth Is the Issue”)

~ Jason Saetrum

Customers Really Don't Want Your Product!

2011-07-22T14:15:00.000-06:00

"Customers really don't want your product, they want what it provides."

~ Jason Saetrum

Many, not all, companies and manufactures do not understand what they are selling. They are trying to sell a) tables and chairs, b) computers and software, or c) cars. But that's not what consumers are purchasing. Consumers are purchasing:

- a) a place to enjoy time with their family - eating dinner or playing games.

- b) reliable tools that allow them to make money, play games, or build memories with digital photos.

- c) status symbols, an adrenaline rush, and safety for those they love.

If you want to make money, be successful, solve concerns and issues, make things better - you need to start with understanding what makes people tick. What drives them - their motivations. It is said that there are two forms of motivation - internal (intrinsic) and external (extrinsic). You can also study Herzberg's and Maslow's hierarchy of needs as a starting point - BUT - don't let the conjecture get in your way of imagination and appreciation for society's needs and wants.

Honestly, keep a small journal at your side at all times. Spend time looking at people and ask yourself over and over the following types of questions:

- Why did they buy that car, those clothes, that jar of food, and etc.?

- What is in their way of having an easier life, what is making them make the extra effort?

- What would make them happy, or happier? If they had more money, what would they choose? (Not that money is the panacea, but because that is what corporate profits are made of).

- What are they, or what would they rather be, spending their time on?

- (I hate to bring this one up, but...) How can we help them be more lazy in getting what they want?

- There are more, but the key is to "listen" to people's words, tone of voice, actions, facial expressions, what worries them, and etc, etc.

~ Jason Saetrum

Between Here and There

2011-07-15T18:28:00.000-06:00

"The difference between "Here and There" is "Here and Hear."

~ Jason Saetrum

Companies spend tens-of-thousands and millions of dollars on making their companies successful and to imbue that mindset into their employees. They setup financial incentive programs, leadership training, hands-on exercises, labs, reading material, self-help tools, computer and web-based training modules, mentors, teams, better and better knowledge bases, competitions, prizes, and awards.

Try setting up "Solution Teams." An incentive that allows high-performing, front-line employees the privilege to devise and present ideas on how to improve company products, services, and processes. This is not a full-time position because the cutting-edge thoughts come from being in the "trenches." Employees are allowed time away from their duties to develop ideas and solutions that would make the customers happier. It is these high-performing employees that are striving and successful at making customers satisfied. You want to clone their solutions and abilities.

In the technology industry, ideas such as the Restore CD, placing labels in easier to find places, color-coding the connecting components on the back of the PC, product setup posters, and etc. came from such teams as these. These solutions have cut down calls to companies, reduced returns, and sped-up the resolution to problems.

Companies need to empower their employees with knowledge and trust and delegate responsibility and accountability. Then quickly follow-up with genuine acknowledgment and praise. Only then will they see the true effectiveness of their company initiatives and incentives.

~ Jason Saetrum

You Are Not True Business Partners Until...

2011-07-08T15:50:00.000-06:00

"I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealing and strict adherence to the view that, for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well."

~ Alan Greenspan

If you are a company finding yourself in need of, or are considering, outsourcing - you may want to consider becoming an equity owner in that outsource provider. Your equity position will strengthen your client position.

Juxtaposed to a contract, the equity provides an increased commitment between the two parties. As true business partners, each side becomes more interested in each others' success.

You will find that your level of equity will "raise your hand higher" and "increase the volume of your voice" in setting expectations and getting results.

As a business owner, you will find:
- Benefits in the reduced overhead costs associated with outsourcing.
- Benefits in the customer satisfaction and turn-around times associated with "in-house" oversight.

2 Additional items to consider:

- Conflicts of interest if the outsource provider is supporting industry competitors.
- Bringing your outsource provider in as an equity owner in your company too...

~ Jason Saetrum

Business Plans

2011-07-01T14:29:00.000-06:00

"When the time for action arrives, the time for preparation has past."

~ Author Unknown

Whether you are a large, seasoned company, small start-up, or are preparing to launch or buy a business you need a plan. The plan(s) need to be written down. The questions that you will answer will open your mind to possibilities and to limitations. It is the process of taking ownership and control of your success. There is truly no random success. You will use this plan to crystallize your goals, ideas, passion, and vision. Your plan will reflect you – what you see. It is the tool by which you relay information and your vision to its readers.

Why a business plan?

$ - To be successful you will need money – investment capital in the form of your savings account, bank or personal loans, or selling equity into your company. If anyone is going to give you money (loan or investment) they will want to see what the hype is about. How is it going to be successful? Do you have a grasp on how the company will be successful? What challenges do you face? How much money will you need, and in what installments? Will you be able to pay back your loan with interest or what their dividends will be and when will they come.

?? – To explore, formulate, and understand what your goals are. It forces the evaluation of the feasibility of the business. Determine where you are going to take this company and how it will operate. The plan will lay the foundation for your products and services, marketing approach, corporate culture, cash flows, training, and etc. Template your company - don’t limit it, but give it room to grow and develop.

If done correctly, the business plan will feed your passion, fuel your fire, lay the foundation for success, and open opportunities for greater ideas. Your company is not slave to the plan, but draws upon it for identity and focus. Your systems and procedures will be built to support the mission and vision of the company.

Don’t sell yourself short!

Business Plans May Include the Following:

I.	Executive Summary
II.	Investment Opportunity
III.	Industry Overview & History
IV.	Current Operations
V.	S.W.O.T. or Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
VI.	Strategic Plan / Positioning
VII.	Operating Plans
VIII.	Marketing
IX.	Company Organizational Chart
X.	Projects / Proposal
XI.	Economic Impact
XII.	Philanthropy
XIII.	Environmental Responsibility
XIV.	Financial Calculations
XV.	Pro-Forma / Budget / P&L
XVI.	Management Biographies
XVII.	Appendices

~ Jason Saetrum

Solution Storming

2011-06-24T21:08:00.000-06:00

"Everyone in the group must sacrifice their pride in commitment to the best solution."

~ Jason Saetrum

There are many, many types and reasons for brain-storming sessions.

Note: before beginning any session the facilitator must establish the ground rules of mutual respect and confidentiality. What is said is not to be held against one, so that ideas and opinions can flow freely.

In meetings where the "issue to be resolved" or the "area to improve" has already been defined, the facilitator leads the discussion by establishing a rough sketch of what "success" looks like. "Sketching" out success involves helping the participants to perceive the solution in action. When describing the "solution in action," is not the time to explore or consider the costs or constraints. Setting the stage for discussion does not involve many details, thus the term "sketch." Sketches consist of which ones will bring the greatest Customer Satisfaction, greatest number of Sales, strengthen the company's Core Competency(ies), or expand the company's Offerings.

Before beginning, the facilitator should bring in an individual to act as scribe to record the comments (but not who said things - i.e. confidentiality). The facilitator should be in front the team writing comments on the board, clarifying ideas (not leading to a specific agenda). As discussion progresses, there will come natural "groupings" of ideas - at this point the facilitator needs to begin focusing the team on one grouping at a time (otherwise the ideas will become more immense, unrelated, and the team members will degrade into arguments or withdraw in silence.) Groupings should be limited down to 3-5 categories.

As the facilitator conducts these more focused "storms" it comes time to push, explore, and ask more questions of the speakers. In addition, it is now time to introduce one of the constraints involved with developing and implementing a solution. While reviewing what has been brought up, evaluate them one-by-one using this one constraint. Naturally, the constraint will weed some of the ideas out. (Remind the team members that those ideas are not "dead" but just not available at this time.)

Some of the primary constraints to consider are time, budget, and resources.

- Time includes the amount of time to be started, completed, revised, and etc.

- Budget involves the seed capital, incremental distributions, what and when accounts are payable and receivable, and overall finances.

- Resources (make this the last constraint to discuss) include staff, in-house knowledge, space, equipment / tools, and etc.

Once the groupings have been filtered with one constraint, move onto a second constraint. Continue the process constraint by constraint until the team is down to a few (3-5) final solutions. With the team, select the top 3 items that are perceived to address the original need - e.g. which ones will bring the greatest Customer Satisfaction, greatest number of Sales, strengthen the company's Core Competency(ies), or expand the company's Offerings. Note: as mentioned previously these criteria should have already been established at the beginning of the meeting and referenced throughout.

To develop and "own" the solution(s), keep asking the questions "How, What, When, Where, and Why?" until the idea(s) are completely comprehended by all in the group.

When a facilitator brings the ideas from the team it is time to perform the next-level management evaluations of: Cost / Benefit, Buy vs. Build, and ROI. The brain-storming team should not be the ones that perform these evaluations.

~ Jason Saetrum

Success vs. Customer Support

2011-06-17T15:21:00.000-06:00

"The need for Customer Support predominately exists because of Company failures."
~ Jason Saetrum

SOLUTION

When ever a product, document, or tool is checked for understanding and quality a company should not just use an expert QC employee. They should have a team of four: 1) the Expert (Subject Matter Expert), 2) the Extreme Novice, 3) someone on the Front-line, and 4) the all important "Mis-matcher." DO NOT REVEAL OR ADVERTISE WHO PLAYS WHICH ROLE IN THE TEAM.

The "EXPERTS" (SMEs) come in the most "sizes and shapes." From the manager's best buddy, to the most arrogant, the most tenured, engineers, the quality control rep, etc, etc. You will want to pick the person who is the most committed to the product. They may be the ones who tend to be the most defensive about the product because they take change and feedback as a reflection on them and that they may have a "defect." Things usually have to be their idea - they want you to bring them a problem and let them solve it. They thrive in an atmosphere of autonomy, the "biggest, baddest" tools, sincere gratitude and acknowledgment, and a listening ear (bribing with caffeine and Krispy Kreme donuts goes a long way too.)

You may run into issues with the Expert belittling your other team members for not knowing the "obvious" and shooting them down for their ideas (FYI - this is one of the reasons that your product / service is not as good as it could be). On the flip-side, the Expert is one of the key reasons that your product is as good as it is.

The "EXTREME NOVICE" is someone who will generally be quiet because they feel inferior to the other team members. It is important to try and give them first attention - preferably before the team meetings. Remember to always write down their feedback, it validates their experience and observations. These team members represent the majority of your customers. With your experience, their feedback will commonly appear inconsequential and tiring, but they are your customer. They are driving the calls, complaints, company opinions, emails, letters, AND the good words about your company to their friends.

Note: as time goes by, your Novice may become "too educated" and can be moved to a different position in the company. Expect to rotate through Novices. This will keep your touch with the consumer fresh and user-friendly.

The "FRONT-LINE" individual is the customer-facing person who interacts with / touches the customer everyday. Whether it be the customer service rep on the phone, a sales person from a retailer, or etc. This is the person where the "rubber meets the road." They are the "face" of the company. Every interaction that they have with a customer they want to resolve their concern / issue. They tend to be the most creative - they are only limited by the company's policies and the engineers' designs. These are the folks who get the most frustrated because they don't feel like they are listened to.

You find that you have the highest turnover with this group. You spend the most money on their training - then because they turn over so quickly - the money spent on training becomes too expensive and the management looks for ways to cut training costs and speed up the training because they're running low on these employees. In this day and age, the "Information Age," Human Capital becomes the most important resource. Embrace It!

A word on the "MIS-MATCHER" - this is an employee that is bright, but is commonly "flagged" as someone who is negative, goes out of their way to be heard, can be somewhat offensive, has a problem with authority, etc. You get the point.

Even Microsoft understands - re: the "Crabby Office Lady" (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/FX101679371033.aspx)

The key here is to not let them know that this is their position in the team. They need to be asked or assigned to this team because you value their insight. Don't overplay it, or it comes across as a setup - which it is not. They are invaluable because they will give you a completely different perspective on things that you won't get any other way. You may have a team of experts, but they operate on the same principles and their insight will be limited to their experiences - but the world is made up of many people who operate on different principles and experiences. It will be your "Mis-matcher" that will push the envelope (and yes, everyone's patience) and bring the opposite view. Experts will only take you so far. You want all types of customers, and you want to make them pleased with your products and services.

Note: your patience will be tried, the "Mis-matcher" will most likely have to be reigned in at times and they may withdraw for a bit, but their desire to be heard will bring them out of it. You may have others complain, or even want them fired because they "don't fit in." As the leader you will have to keep these things close to your vest and lead / facilitate the team to solutions.

Leading and facilitating teams is an art and can be the difference between your company's evolution or dissolution. I will discuss this more later.

~ Jason Saetrum

The "Sniper Approach"

2011-06-10T14:30:00.000-06:00

Know your target - get in - hit it - move to next target.

The "Sniper Approach" is my maxim for business.

Too many managers use the "machine gun" approach, hoping that with their volume of attempts that they will get the job done. In turn, they create a mess of confusion, disfunction, and disrespect.

You've got to know what your specific objective(s) are, hit them, measure performance, and report it. Knowing the objectives is always your job. Whether you are the "assigner" or the "assignee," it is your job to clarify and confirm.

"Random precision" is not success.

~ Jason Saetrum