A telco survival guide
The interview took place in the early summer, so some of my viewpoints have since shifted and I'll discuss them on a later post.
~the GURU
Showing posts with label Recession. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recession. Show all posts
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Guru was Interviewed
The GURU was briefly interviewed about Telecom.
The interview took place in the early summer, so some of my viewpoints have since shifted and I'll discuss them on a later post.
~the GURU
The interview took place in the early summer, so some of my viewpoints have since shifted and I'll discuss them on a later post.
~the GURU
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Saturday, April 5, 2008
5 o'clock Shadow Part II
Going from Rugged to Clean-Cut
To refresh your memory
From the preceding post, I raised the point of pin-pointing areas where there may be a hole (inefficiency) either slowly or rapidly leaking water (resources) from the bucket (business).
As the talks and reports of the United States economy/recession continues, what were your findings? Aside from the fact that the "U.S. economy lost 80,000 jobs in March, the biggest drop in five years, as weakness in the labor market spread beyond housing and finance to engulf a broad swath of businesses. (EVANS, WSJ.com)" times like these can blow open parts of your business that are bleeding the business dry.
Now we can speculate as to who precisely is being laid off in certain industries, for example, the financial industry is being wiped clean compared to 2007's growth according to Tig Gilliam, chief executive of temporary-employment company Adecco Group North America. (I won't touch the fact that we're laying off thousands of analysts and yet paying and awarding the CEOs with millions of dollars for doing so well... isn't this an oxymoron?)
But, back to the 5 o'clock shadow. Where are bottlenecks occurring in your business?
Let's say your software/ intellectual property is your bread and butter. It can save companies thousands, if not millions of dollars, and it has been available for a couple years now, yet, sales are lacking. These software "Gurus" (SGs) know everything about developing the product and making it work. However, the SGs are not strong in sales. They are awkward around consumers and do not exude confidence. Thus, the expense of having these developers is hurting your business, despire their skills Ladies and gentlemen, the leak in your bucket is weak sales force.
In this day and age, you could have a product that does everything and reduces cost or boosts profitability, but if customers do not know about it, they will not find it nor know what it does. You have to have a sales force / marketing team. That means investing in salesmen to make the cold-calls, developing advertisements, and targeting a market segment to hone-in on. Your programmers are, well, programmers. They build it and fine-tune, they do not sell it. A prime example is this AT&T commercial about a beer brewery. There is the brew-master and then the salesman.
The next example of a potential leak is so simple, it is almost embarrassing that people do not realize the potential savings.... inter-office call transfer or auto-mated attendants. Do you have a receptionist or a couple receptionists who answer the phones all day, update company records, manage appointment books, organize business newsletters, or relay information around to all the divisions. As your business continues to grow, usually, your call volume increases as well. The poor receptionists are already stretched so thin, add in the increased call volume and we may have some cases of insanity approaching.
As the call volume increases, the receptionists jot down the message from the clients and then have to walk / re-dial the proper party and inform them of the message. That takes time. Time away from the million other tasks they have and time is money.
Enter the PHONE SYSTEM! Imagine being able to transfer the calling-party directly to the individual or their voicemail? The receptionist hits two buttons and she's done and back to work, focusing on the other tasks. It is all about efficiency and time-savers. Another way to fill-in the leaky hole. Or, if you choose to have an automated attendant, she only answers the phone when she is requested.
So, I briefly illuminated two potential hindrances. Nothing too in-depth, but something to think about.
Let me know some issues your business faces and see where we can attack them!
At the end of the day, you can either settle for the shadow or you can shave again.
~the GURU
(changed my signature... tell the difference?!)
To refresh your memory
From the preceding post, I raised the point of pin-pointing areas where there may be a hole (inefficiency) either slowly or rapidly leaking water (resources) from the bucket (business).
As the talks and reports of the United States economy/recession continues, what were your findings? Aside from the fact that the "U.S. economy lost 80,000 jobs in March, the biggest drop in five years, as weakness in the labor market spread beyond housing and finance to engulf a broad swath of businesses. (EVANS, WSJ.com)" times like these can blow open parts of your business that are bleeding the business dry.
Now we can speculate as to who precisely is being laid off in certain industries, for example, the financial industry is being wiped clean compared to 2007's growth according to Tig Gilliam, chief executive of temporary-employment company Adecco Group North America. (I won't touch the fact that we're laying off thousands of analysts and yet paying and awarding the CEOs with millions of dollars for doing so well... isn't this an oxymoron?)
But, back to the 5 o'clock shadow. Where are bottlenecks occurring in your business?
Let's say your software/ intellectual property is your bread and butter. It can save companies thousands, if not millions of dollars, and it has been available for a couple years now, yet, sales are lacking. These software "Gurus" (SGs) know everything about developing the product and making it work. However, the SGs are not strong in sales. They are awkward around consumers and do not exude confidence. Thus, the expense of having these developers is hurting your business, despire their skills Ladies and gentlemen, the leak in your bucket is weak sales force.
In this day and age, you could have a product that does everything and reduces cost or boosts profitability, but if customers do not know about it, they will not find it nor know what it does. You have to have a sales force / marketing team. That means investing in salesmen to make the cold-calls, developing advertisements, and targeting a market segment to hone-in on. Your programmers are, well, programmers. They build it and fine-tune, they do not sell it. A prime example is this AT&T commercial about a beer brewery. There is the brew-master and then the salesman.
The next example of a potential leak is so simple, it is almost embarrassing that people do not realize the potential savings.... inter-office call transfer or auto-mated attendants. Do you have a receptionist or a couple receptionists who answer the phones all day, update company records, manage appointment books, organize business newsletters, or relay information around to all the divisions. As your business continues to grow, usually, your call volume increases as well. The poor receptionists are already stretched so thin, add in the increased call volume and we may have some cases of insanity approaching.
As the call volume increases, the receptionists jot down the message from the clients and then have to walk / re-dial the proper party and inform them of the message. That takes time. Time away from the million other tasks they have and time is money.
Enter the PHONE SYSTEM! Imagine being able to transfer the calling-party directly to the individual or their voicemail? The receptionist hits two buttons and she's done and back to work, focusing on the other tasks. It is all about efficiency and time-savers. Another way to fill-in the leaky hole. Or, if you choose to have an automated attendant, she only answers the phone when she is requested.
So, I briefly illuminated two potential hindrances. Nothing too in-depth, but something to think about.
Let me know some issues your business faces and see where we can attack them!
At the end of the day, you can either settle for the shadow or you can shave again.
~the GURU
(changed my signature... tell the difference?!)
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Monday, March 10, 2008
Recession Looms and People Spend on Movie Tickets?!
I'm back baby! The Flu kicked me around for a little bit, but I'm almost revived!
Ah, the joys of the movies... A box of popcorn, over-priced candy, if I'm a lucky a lovely female at my side, and hopefully a good flick to immerse my mind into. Now, if I am ever strapped for cash, movies are always the first to go in my budget. Over the past five years, I feel like I can count on two hands the movies I have seen in the theaters (All the Bourne Series have been seen the-day-of..Matt Damon.. the man).
But, let's be frank, the quality of movies has just plummeted miserably. Gigli? Are We Done Yet? Any Halle Berry Movie, etc etc... And people pay to see this stuff? Hollywood's kool aid is only getting stronger and it scares me that these people are making millions of dollars. But, for that, I also have to applaud them... they have found the formula to draw the consumers into their theaters.
Now, bringing myself back into focus on the article and the business relevance. Movies do give a sense of mental relaxation. You can simply sit there, eat some candy, and listen to the annoying teenager whose cell phone goes off every 10 seconds, despite the plethora of signs instructing someone to turn off the phone.
Back in the days of the Depression, movies dominated life. It did in fact give an out for people. Plus, like the article touches upon, there were so few options back then that "4.6 billion" tickets were sold at that time... still clobbering numbers today.
Yet, despite all the years of change, the movie industry has always survived and adapted. (um, hello? Ordering your tickets online! Reclining chairs, oversized cup holders)
What Mr. Fithian says is good and all, but he runs a business. It would be pretty funny if he just came out and said what he is really thinking. (I'll leave that to your imagination). One of my clients is in Hurricane disaster recovery. It may sound evil, but he needs Hurricanes and damaging storms so he can remain in business. Society may think they are mean and selfish people, but someone has got to do it and survive as they do it.
But, you cannot simply say revenue was high because of higher ticket prices. Attendance is increasing as well. My reasoning: Population increase. Not because Hollywood is produce great art.
In closing, this post is disjointed and I'm not really sure where I wanted to go (see, I can admit where areas can be weak at time), but that is how Hollywood makes me feel. My frustration is more aimed at Hollywood. High prices on the "experience" and then I have cell phone bandits ruining it. Movies may be a way to get away from the "troubles" of the world and give someone an outlet. All I know, this Guru's wallet stays closed for movies unless they actually have some merit. Sorry J. Lo, Ice Cube, and now Will Ferrell (he's overstaying his same comedic welcome), your movies are awful and I will not pay to watch them, no matter how bad the economy may be.
~A Flustered Guru
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23564934/
Ah, the joys of the movies... A box of popcorn, over-priced candy, if I'm a lucky a lovely female at my side, and hopefully a good flick to immerse my mind into. Now, if I am ever strapped for cash, movies are always the first to go in my budget. Over the past five years, I feel like I can count on two hands the movies I have seen in the theaters (All the Bourne Series have been seen the-day-of..Matt Damon.. the man).
But, let's be frank, the quality of movies has just plummeted miserably. Gigli? Are We Done Yet? Any Halle Berry Movie, etc etc... And people pay to see this stuff? Hollywood's kool aid is only getting stronger and it scares me that these people are making millions of dollars. But, for that, I also have to applaud them... they have found the formula to draw the consumers into their theaters.
Now, bringing myself back into focus on the article and the business relevance. Movies do give a sense of mental relaxation. You can simply sit there, eat some candy, and listen to the annoying teenager whose cell phone goes off every 10 seconds, despite the plethora of signs instructing someone to turn off the phone.
Back in the days of the Depression, movies dominated life. It did in fact give an out for people. Plus, like the article touches upon, there were so few options back then that "4.6 billion" tickets were sold at that time... still clobbering numbers today.
Yet, despite all the years of change, the movie industry has always survived and adapted. (um, hello? Ordering your tickets online! Reclining chairs, oversized cup holders)
"We don't want to wish recession on anyone or hard times on anyone, but we certainly have done very well during recessions," said John Fithian, president of the theater owners group, who planned to touch on Hollywood's recession-proof history in a speech at ShoWest's opening Source
What Mr. Fithian says is good and all, but he runs a business. It would be pretty funny if he just came out and said what he is really thinking. (I'll leave that to your imagination). One of my clients is in Hurricane disaster recovery. It may sound evil, but he needs Hurricanes and damaging storms so he can remain in business. Society may think they are mean and selfish people, but someone has got to do it and survive as they do it.
But, you cannot simply say revenue was high because of higher ticket prices. Attendance is increasing as well. My reasoning: Population increase. Not because Hollywood is produce great art.
In closing, this post is disjointed and I'm not really sure where I wanted to go (see, I can admit where areas can be weak at time), but that is how Hollywood makes me feel. My frustration is more aimed at Hollywood. High prices on the "experience" and then I have cell phone bandits ruining it. Movies may be a way to get away from the "troubles" of the world and give someone an outlet. All I know, this Guru's wallet stays closed for movies unless they actually have some merit. Sorry J. Lo, Ice Cube, and now Will Ferrell (he's overstaying his same comedic welcome), your movies are awful and I will not pay to watch them, no matter how bad the economy may be.
~A Flustered Guru
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23564934/
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