By John Polumbo- President, Winning Edge Selling
C0-Founder Edge CEO Advisory
Many owners have driven forward in 2021 and 2022 by focusing on 6 Areas to lead, manage and care for their businesses, their people and their customers. Conversely, while for others it has been an extreme time of challenges, obstacles and stress for businesses to operate securely and strategically. With a requirement to focus on the whole business and not just growth and profits, many have achieved recovery and growth faster with this 6 Tiered Approach.
- Connectivity: The opportunity to reconnect and connect at a different level for businesses of all sizes became available and critical in this troubled economy. Owners and executives utilized social media, email, video calls & meetings to communicate support, empathy and relationship in business more than in anytime in modern history to ease fears, build relationships and help.
2. Lean & Nimble: Status quo was eliminated instantly. Internal teams needed to be connected and productive in days verses long project cycles for internal upgrades. Every person became available for every need from sales to operations, shipping and customer care. These new best practices have transferred to Customer Experience satisfaction levels in real time and when done well with the customers interest in mind have propelled sales and relationships.
3. Transparent Communications: Communication returned to a linear structure, middle management and interdepartmental filtering where removed for speed and authenticity. Real, honest delivery of information became normal whether the messages and updates were good, bad or in the middle. The times required the ability to show empathy across all communications, work with people verses roles and customers verses transactions. Relationships across the board improved and evolved as more of a focus on taking care of people and customers replaced role interactions.
4. Invest in Training: Necessity is the driver of all innovation or something like that! People were cross trained on the fly, training happened in real time for production, back office, sales and anything required. That has continued with worker’s out, low supply of workers of all levels. Sales Training has been a Special area of focus for many companies who needed to instantly pivot from Outside Sales primary organizations to Robust Inside Sales Teams.
5. Add more Value to Customers and Marketplace: The companies that built and protected relationships, gave support and solutions have emerged with a new market position and base of business to grow. Supply chain issues affected virtually everyone, direct communications, short term alternative solutions and innovative options have differentiated the Customer based companies from the mediocre static ones.
6. Invest in People: Wages and Comp. levels have increased several levels and in many ways, flexibility has become normal and required. Companies are hungry for motivated dedicated people and people are hungry for a top level environment that meets there work and personal needs.
We have entered a new age where people value and measure how they feel under our leadership that determines their satisfaction level, performance level and loyalty to an organization. When they feel ok, a sense of belonging and value they have engaged optimism.
If it’s Time to Engage and Re-Activate Your Organization learn more and inquire about our services, contact John Polumbo [email protected] or 401-451-0553.