stages of development - International Business Growth Radio Network

SHOW & CHAPTER 23: INSIDE THE CUSTOMER - WILLIAM EASTMAN

11/5/2022

This is about taking the customer relationship to the next level. Your company has developed specific areas of competence that the customer might not possess and provides an opportunity to share and help customers to learn from your experience.

Show Objective
Given the shows on creating Data-Based Relationships, create a plan to bring your expertise inside the customer to help make improvements and recession proof their business.

EPISODE 105: Summary
Every company is required to develop several core competencies to become successful. Those core competencies are specific to an industry and market. That means not everybody is good at everything. It is the same for your business. What if you help customers develop competencies you have that would enhance their business?

There isn't an exact formula for moving to this next stage of the relationship, only a some conditions are present - a matter of timing: (1) you have as much of their budget as possible for your suite of products and services, (2) they are very satisfied with your offer and the nature of the relationship, (3) you have observed or been made aware of areas your competence will help, (4) established positive relationships with key decision makers.

Topics:

Analyze and Report on the relationships
What do you have to share that a customer would benefit from?
Getting started

EPISODE 106: What Does The Customer Data Tell You About The Relationships?
We started 4 weeks ago focusing hard on the concept of data based relationships. Look at this with the same priority as keeping good financial records. At first the customer data will look scattered and not produce any insights other than establishing a history. Then it will change, suddenly you will move random bytes of information to patterns and finally trends.

You can't get there if you don't start with systematic data collection - a CRM system. Use this data to first improve the sales and delivery relationship, then take it to the next level - helping them.

Topics:

Promise Gap
Recover Gap
Personnel Gap
Results Expectations
User-Friendly Expectations
Doing Business with You Expectations

EPISODE 107: How Does Your Core Competence Match Customers?

A quick review of core competence. It is simply something your business does differently than the competition and you use it to win and hold business. One way you can look for your unique strengths is using the balanced scorecard: is there something you do in managing finances, developing systems and processes, finding and dealing with customers, or handling your employees you can share?

Topics:

Financial Performance
Lowest Cost Producer
Customer Enthusiasm
Discretionary Performance

EPISODE 108: Where & How to Start
Start with positive relationships that you have built and improved through data collection. If a relationship has gone through rough periods and now is great because you measured and fixed it - all the better. You have demonstrated this as a strength and something they have experienced.

Keep one thing in mind. Your 'Report' was not requested and might put the owner/executive in a defensive position. Make clear, if you suspect they see this as another sale pitch, what you are offering is not what you sell, it is out of concern for them.

Topics: