Artie Isaac, co-founder of the creative marketing strategy and advertising agency, Young Isaac, writes a funny and thought-provoking blog.
Recently he wrote a post on how to start blogging.
I thought it might be helpful for members who might be thinking about blogging but not sure where to begin.
I am only including a few of my favorites, so head over to Artie's blog to read the post in full. While you are there, read Artie's archived posts.
(Source: Artie Isaac and Speakersite)
Wal-Mart has been one of the most successful international businesses in the world. In the process of expanding to India, it is important for Wal-Mart to develop a good relationship with farmers, as farmers are a vital aspect to India’s food industry. Wal-Mart is trying to create a secure initial agricultural position that can be used for further improvement in India. In order to improve efficiency and increase the flow of goods, the company uses hyper efficient practices in their distribution model. For the past few years, Wal-Mart has been developing a close and trustworthy relationship with the farmers in India. In Haider Nagar, farmers prefer to do business with Wal-Mart because the farmers get paid well and on time. Wal-Mart distributes its products quickly to consumers, which increases farmers’ profit since they sell their product at a faster rate. Overall, the business to business relationship a company has with its partners is important because it will help the company succeed in foreign markets.
Anthony Iannarino is President and Chief Sales Officer for SOLUTIONS Staffing. He is a consultant with B2B Sales Coach and Consultancy, and teaches at Capital University.
Joe Sperry sat down with Anthony Iannarino last week to discuss how his handling of business relationships contributes to his success.
Joe: How has your approach to relationships in business contributed to your personal or your company's success?
Anthony: My personal approach to relationships in business is based upon the idea that creating value together requires a relationship based on trust.
Mutual trust allows us to share ideas and information that might not otherwise be shared to explore potential ideas that allow us to exploit opportunities together, to solve problems, and to share business metrics that help both our companies do better work together than we would otherwise.
For example, 30 days after we start a large staffing project for a call center, we will share our turnover data. Initially some of our clients don't want to share their internal hiring data, but eventually they see it's the best way to discover how we improve our results together. Sometimes we have lower turnover numbers, and we share our on-boarding process with the client to help them improve their own results.
It's not always easy to build this trust, and sometimes there are individuals within some companies who cling to the idea that vendors are disposable. But once they have a successful business relationship, they understand the great value that a trusted business partner can help create.
Joe: How has proactive relationship management impacted both your organization's top-line and bottom-line performance?
Anthony: We schedule quarterly business review meetings with our clients. In addition to being a differentiator, this proactive approach has allowed us to improve our top and bottom line by defining the relationship as something more than a "vendor" could offer. In many cases, this approach by itself has helped a number of clients to move to us exclusively. This, in my opinion, is the response to "act like a vendor, I'll treat you like a vendor." Because we take a serious interest in our performance and how it impacts our client's performance, we are treated as something more than a vendor.
Joe: Do you have any advice for beginning relationship or account managers?
Anthony: Create value before claiming it. Understand that trust takes time to build, and you have to walk the walk before that trust will be developed as much as it can be. Have a presence. Have a presence. Have a presence. Never hide from problems or challenges, even if it makes you uncomfortable.
Thanks, Anthony! Business Relationships Members, do you have any questions for Anthony? Leave a comment if you do!
Anthony Iannarino is the President and Chief Sales Officer for SOLUTIONS Staffing, a professional sales coach, and a consultant for a firm he started, B2B Sales Coach and Consultancy.
Mr. Iannarino is also Adjunct Faculty at Capital University, where he teaches Persuasive Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and Personal Selling in the School of Business.
It would seem easier to write your blog post or discussion question in a program like Word, so that you can edit your piece there and transfer your finished product to businessrelationships.com, right?
WRONG!
Microsoft Word has its own formatting built into the software. If you take a previously written piece in Word to copy and paste it into businessrelationships.com, the formatting will be wild and new characters might be added.
You might spend more time fixing the formatting errors than you would have if you'd re-typed the entire document.
So, what can you do to transfer a previously written piece?
Text Edit & Notepad are called simple text editors. They are like Microsoft Word but without the bells and whistles. If you have a word processing program (like Microsoft Word) then you probably have a simple text editor on your computer. A search should easily locate the program.
If you have a Mac, you will probably have Text Edit on your computer. If you have a PC, you will probably have Notepad on your computer.
All you have to do is locate the simple text editor (Notepad or Text Edit) and type what you want to say into it like you would in Microsoft Word or any other word processor. When you are ready to post it to businessrelationships.com, you'll have to write as you normally would in the simple word processor. Then you would copy or cut the piece and paste it into businessrelationships.com. It's that easy!
If you have a different way to add without retyping, we'd love to hear it. Please leave a comment below!
The relationships at hand reveal the significance of knowing who you are working with and how they are going to react. Rare Wines LLC customers reacted to the fraud by filing law suits and suing the company. Due to past experiences of not receiving paid for wine from the company the consumers were more apt to believe that they were never going to get any of their wine or their money back. The same can be said for Wallace and his company with previous troubles of the winery in France failing to supply the wine that was purchased. They knew that the winery did not deliver the wine before, so why should they trust them again - what type of conclusion was drawn? Not only did Rare Wines LLC lose value that has been added to their name, the winery in France has lost its value as well.
Everyone has a role in a business whether it is as the owner, manager, employee, supplier, lawyer or customers. It took a court date for an employee of Rare Wines LLC to step forward and say anything regarding what has been going on. Communication among all the players, trustworthiness, dedication and consistency are all important factors that keep a business to business relationship going well. Rare Wines LLC proved to be have opposite qualities of what a good business relationship should look like, which is why they are bankrupt and not in operation.
Take a look at the article – what do you think?
Ron Maciejowski is the Vice President of Sales for Worthington Industries. He sits on the board of all Worthington Industrial Joint Ventures and Recreation Unlimited.
Kathy Hoyt, a senior consultant with S4 Consulting, sat down with Ron recently. The interview is transcribed below.
_______________________________________________________
Kathy Hoyt: How has your approach to handling business relationships evolved throughout your professional career?
Ron Maciejowski: In the early days (1970's) there was more of the attitude that there was enough in a sale for everyone to be profitable. The pie was always growing and all parties could profit (our company, our supplier, our customer).
Today , many people think the pie is a set size which means you have to take the profitability out of someone else's pocket. To some extent that is true if we don't get back to growing our economy in the right way and making the pie bigger. This has put much stress on the customer/supplier relationship.
Kathy: Who helped you develop business relationship skills and how?
Ron: Mentors, the guys who brought me into the business. They showed me here's how we do it. You have to build the relationship to get close to the customer. You do that by:
Kathy: How has your attitude and/or skills contributed to personal or company's success?
Ron: I learned by example. If I made a mistake, I wasn't called on it openly in public. I learned to do the same things with my people. People are much more productive if not publicly reprimanded.
I also learned to listen to "the other side" of what was being said - try to understand both sides before jumping in.
Kathy: Can you recall a time when someone handled a relationship in such a way that it saved the sale?
Ron: Yes, there's been times when we walked out better than when we walked in. When there was a problem with a customer and it was our fault we would go in, accept responsibility, offer no excuses and get the problem fixed as soon as possible.
Other opportunities can evolve if you just admit it and fix it because if you can't fix it in a timely manner it will kill the relationship. As part of supply chain, we don't have total control over a situation but the main thing is don't make excuses - just fix it.
Kathy: Can you recall a time when the absence of a relationship has lost a sale or a customer?
Ron: We had a customer recently who didn't feel we thought he was important. A quote got to this customer which was completely inaccurate - way too high.
He assumed we didn't care about his business and we were just sending a quote to get it off our desk. We had been doing about 40% to 100% of his business and he pulled it all because we didn't appear to care enough about him. It certainly was not the case (many internal discussions about what went wrong) because it in fact was very important business to us.
We are working very hard to recapture our customers trust and confidence.
Kathy: What does Worthington Industries do make relationship management a core competency?
Ron: Everyone does it differently but our philosophy of treat the customer they way you want to be treated has always applied.
The philosophy is presented during orientation and reinforced. If someone doesn't buy into the philosophy, they usually don't last very long around here.
Kathy: How do you measure to see if business relationship management is working?
Ron: Amount of business from that customer, they tell us about opportunities for new business and if they come to us for solutions to help their business we know our relationship is solid.
Kathy: What advice do you have to give to people who want to develop skills in business relationship?
Ron: Listen to what the customer is saying. Everyone wants something from you. You just have to learn what the gap is (the difference between what they have and what they want) and then figure out what I can do to fill the gap.
Kathy: What one piece of advice would you give the people who are managing customer relationships?
Ron: Put yourself in the customer's shoes and treat him the way you would want to be treated.
Give the customer timely information, correct information and do what you say you are going to do.
Kathy: How do you think the economy has affected business relationships?
Ron: Everyone is fearful right now about their companies staying in business and their keeping a job.
People are more stressed and just want more time at home. The relationships today are on a more professional level than in the past. However, it is a mistake to assume that people don't buy on personal relationships.
That gets back to building trust, gaining confidence by doing what you say you will do and making the customer look good by providing excellent service and providing a high level of perceived value.
_______________________________________________________
Thanks, Ron!
Business Relationships Members, do you have any other questions for Ron or Kathy?
Ron Maciejowski began his career with Worthington Steel in 1972 and held various sales posiions until going into management in 1981. He has served as Vice President of Sales at Worthington Industries since 2008.
Business Relationships Community, I am so excited to tell you about a new feature recently added to our website!
There is now an option to receive a daily or weekly update with all the recet activity you and your friends have had on businessrelationships.com!
If you would like a daily reminder, you will be sent a daily message--either to your businessrelationships.com messages inbox, or directly to your email inbox. You can choose where the message is sent!
If you'd prefer a weekly update, the same options are available-- the message can be sent to your email inbox or to your businessrelationships.com message inbox.
To change your message preferences, follow these instructions.
As always, I'm happy to help or answer questions!
A recent issue of The Costco Connection, discussing the evolution of house brands, cited packaging and efficiency issues. A prime example was the design of a "square" jar for cashews that increased pallet capacity by 50%. That, in turn, saved 600 truckloads a year in transporting cashews alone. 600 truckloads isn't peanuts, even for Costco.
Their liquid detergent bottle design increased pallet capacity by 33% with proportionate transportation savings--and improved consumer utility. Full disclosure: they're doing something similar with gallon milk containers, but I've yet to figure out how to make the first pour go into the glass and not all over the counter.
These cases led me to two takeaways. One is that "green" initiatives don't all have to be high-concept, multi-million dollar investments with decades-long payback periods. We are surrounded by simple opportunities that are the right thing for the environment, for business, and for customers-- provided that we are willing to simplify and focus our visions.
The other is that these kinds of supply chain improvements outght to be what's coming out of better relationships and collaborative problem-solving with suppliers who are able to think in terms of the downstream customer, and the ultimate consumer. I don't know that to be entirely the case with Costco, but I suspect it is, and other companies have derived similar benefits from close and progressive business relationships.
When the supplier is able to apply parallel solutions for other customers, the benefits become part of a significant ripple effect with positive consequences all up and down the supply chain. Powerful stuff.
What has your experience been? Do you have to drive all the improvements, or do your business partners? Or, do you develop them together? If together, how do you either limit or promote their application outside of your specific relationships?
Within the past year, I have become a huge fan of Southwest Airlines for business travel. Their new boarding process has overcome my previous major objections. Add to that their free baggage policy (for the first two bags), on-time arrival and departure, regular pilot communication, and the use of full size planes has turned me into a raving fan! And given the frequency of my business travel, that has turned into real money for Southwest.
Jody Hoffer Gittell, author of The Southwest Airlines Way: Using the Power of Relationships to Achieve High Performance, argues "that Southwest's most powerful organizational competency- the 'secret ingredient' that makes it so distinctive- is its ability to build and sustain high performance relationships among managers, employees, unions, and suppliers." p.xii
If you have always wondered how to turn business relationships into a competivetive advantage, check Gittell's book out. You will soon see how the deceptively "soft stuff" turns business relationships into gold.
(Southwest Airlines Way is available on Amazon.com)
Hi everyone! Here is a guide to adding a photo to your
businessrelationships.com profile.
First you will need to go to My Homepage. When you reach your homepage, click on Edit My Account. On the toolbar all the way to the right side, you will see a tab called Getting Started. Click on Getting Started.
In the left column, the first item says About You. It says Add a Photo in blue-- it is a link, and you will need to click on it. When you click Add a Photo, it will take you to a place to upload a photo.
To summarize: My Homepage > Edit My Account > Getting Started > Add a Photo
Still having trouble? Send me a message!
Hope that helps! If you still have trouble, contact Mimi at the Help Desk!
I’ve been trolling the Internet for articles on relationship management and have been finding hundreds of them, all free, and most worth the price. While there are many many insights provided, they were usually on very high level. I could find few essays where the conclusions merited being included on this site.
When I broadened my search a bit, I came across an article that would appeal to business-to-business sellers and buyers. It’s by Erin Anderson and Sandy D. Jap, it’s called The Dark Side of Close Relationships. It appeared in the Spring, 2005, issue of the Sloan Management Review. I believe our readers should get their hands on it for a number of reasons, not least of which is that Anderson and Jap’s research included studying over 1200 business-to-business alliances.
Anderson and Jap argue that “Relationships that seem to be doing well are often the most vulnerable to the forces of destruction that are commonly building beneath the surface of the relationship. In other words, close relationships that seem the most stable can also be the most vulnerable to decline and destruction. We refer to this phenomenon as the dark side of close relationships.” (hard not to think of Star Wars)
One of he ways this dark side manifests itself is when both firms “are confident and optimistic about their collaboration….Since no trouble can be seen on the horizon, there is no apparent reason to change course, strategy or tactics.” The problem here is the assumption that things are going well can deaden the sensitivity of one or both parties to the relationship, and they may act opportunistically. Anderson and Jap use a great example of an auto painter who had a long relationship with the brand automaker and starting using two coats instead of the required three.
This agrees with our findings that firms in a relationship tend to assume that when no noise comes from the partner, the relationship is doing very well. I remember being hired by the CEO of a huge transportation company who said to me, “I cannot believe that things are going as well with our large customers as my account managers say it is.” His insights were solid—the account managers were burying problems they thought they would be blamed for. By bringing new sensitivity to the key relationships, the company was able to forestall serious problems and even, in one case, the customer seeking another transportation company.
Anderson and Jap feel that the dark side of relationships occurs when firms focus on three mechanisms: The creation of immediate benefits [which can lessen the effects of long-term value]; the development of strong interpersonal relationships [which, if there are few of these can result in an account manager taking customers with his/her when they leave]; and unique processes and adaptations, where the firms invest in the relationship [these investments may not be reciprocated.]
How to keep the dark side from appearing in relationships? “Prevention,” Anderson and Jap say, “is the best medicine. Bolstering relationships--through regular evaluation, backup plans (having a back-up account manager, for example] and crisis management--helps create efficient. motivated and productive relationships….”
I do disagree with one conclusion that the authors suggest. They say that to keep a relationship fresh, one should change the people close to the relationship every two years or so. Assuming that he/she is effective, most accounts would scream bloody murder if their account manager should be replaced every two years.
The article is around ten pages, it is not written in over-academic prose and it supplies many examples which I cannot include, or this piece might have been as long as the Sloan essay. It’s worth your time. Check it out. JSperry
Do any of you know someone who excels at business relationships?
I'm trying to compile a list of common characteristics, strengths, skills or management styles that masters of business relationships practice.
Many of you are business relationship masters yourselves. You obviously understand the importance of good business relationships if you're reading this on businessrelationships.com! What are you doing that makes you a master?
Some characteristics or skills I've noticed are asking questions about others, like, 'What kinds of projects are you working on now?' or, 'Last time we spoke you were getting ready to go on a long trip to Europe with your family. How was it?'
Genuine interest in others and, many times, empathy are big characteristics I see in masters of relationships-- especially in business.
What have you noticed about masters of business relationships?
This image turns the metaphor on its head, and the people involved probably aren't really rats, but in tough economic times there is a tendency to avoid risk and stay with less-than-satisfying jobs. When the inevitable rebound arrives, the exodus of talent can blow the doors off companies that have been complacent about retaining "A" performers.
The February issue of CFO magazine (www.cfo.com) nails the issue in its All The Right Moves article, recommending proactive measures during what are usually hunker-down times to help make sure that the arriving recovery does not "inspire a raft of departures."
The challenge and consequences go, I think, deeper than simply hanging on to desirable human assets.
Consider the impacts of sudden and unexpected key employee departures on business-as-usual business relationships. They can range from unsettling to devastating. Who do you turn to when your major customer's go-to person has gone-to somewhere else? Who makes good on supplier problems when your "inside" contact is now on the outside? More than your timbers are likely to be shiverin', matey, when you wake up to that kind of news.
The argument for building business relationships that transcend personal contacts (and schmoozing as a substitute for communication and collaboration) gets to be compelling when the downside of people moving on is fully explored.
What's your take on this, as we see, like crocuses in the spring, early signs of economic recovery?
There is a relatively new controversy over milk in New Zealand and Australia. The claim is that protein in regular milk (A1 protein) can make its way into the bloodstream, causing diseases such as autism, schizophrenia, juvenile diabetes, and heart disease. Scientists disagree whether this claim is valid. The benefits of A2 milk seem to be mostly hype at this point, but consumers that believe A2 milk is beneficial continue to purchase the more expensive A2 milk. A2 Corporation and Freedom Foods companies created a joint venture, A2 Milk Company, in order to take advantage of the hype and capture a share of the relatively small market. It’s interesting that they created a joint venture in order to spread out the risk between the two companies in case scientific evidence proves there is no benefit to consuming A2 milk instead of A1 milk, and the A2 milk market falls through.
To read the full report, go to the following link: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2866747.htm
Please leave comments on your thoughts!
Tyson Foods loses lawsuit that claims its deceptive practices bankrupted growers
Tyson as the world’s second largest food processor and marketer of chicken, beef and pork, uses its economic power to force McCurtain Country’s 50 chicken growers into growing chickens at a low cost. This had costs hundreds of families into bankruptcy and foreclosure. The chicken growers were verbally and financially pressured by Tyson to use loan money for chicken houses constructions, but Tyson then paid them at a price that is less needed to break even. In terms of financial pressures, Tyson tried to place its growers under a huge debt loads which made growers hesitant to refuse any of Tyson’s demands. And the end, Tyson must to pay a total of $7.3 million to the 10 of the 50 growers who filled a lawsuit. And the McCurtain County officials are assessing all options to prevent this from happening again in the future.
http://eatdrinkandbe.org/article/lawsuit.0405_law_tysonverdict
All week I have been reflecting on an experience I had last Saturday that reminded me of the power of a team. My daughter and 7 of her lower school schoolmates decided, after several months of playing chess at lunch on Wednesdays, that they would enter an all-girls chess tournament. They formed a last minute team to represent their school in the beginner's category. There were 10 other teams from around the city and state, most of whom had coaches, more experience and official team attire. Through five rounds of games, we watched the scores come in, both individually and overall team rankings. By the end of the 3rd round, we were in 2nd place. By the end of the 4th round, we'd dropped to 4th. Between games, the girls got together and shared their game experiences, asked questions of teammates and practiced game strategies with each other. The encouragement these girls were giving each other was fun to watch.
After the 5th and final round, awards were given. Individual awards were handed out first. All of our girls received a medal for participants who earned at least 1 point. Many other girls got trophies for their higher individual scores (4 or 5). Our chance at ranking in the top 4 teams seems a distance dream since none of our girls received a trophy. As the team awards were announced, our girls began to feel discouraged. They had not won 4th place and were surely out of the game. As the next awards were announced, their lower school head kneeled down to give them words of praise for their willingness to jump in and give this tournament a try, never having done anything like this before. Suddenly, we listened to the 1st place announcement. We could hardly believe our ears when they named our team as the winning team! We all almost fell off our chairs, stunned and thrilled with the news! Who knew a chess tournament could be so exciting?
So how could this be, they asked? We had no "star" players, no individuals with perfect 5 scores or even 4 scores. It was not only exciting but a wonderful lesson on the power of team. Star players can't carry a weak team. Solid teamwork can win the game!
Robin Sharma recently released his 9 keys to business relationships and relationships at work.
I think #4 is my favorite. Some need further explanation, which can be found here. What do you think about Robin's list?
Do you have any others to add?
I am a big fan of Greg Mortenson and his work in central Asia that is chronicled in Three Cups of Tea. For those who have not yet read this fascinating book, the tiltle comes from a Balti saying explaining the process of moving from stranger, to friend, to family. It is the secret for getting things done. As Mortenson moves throughout the region, mobilizing rural communities to build schools for both boys and girls, he learns from those he has gone to serve. The book is a testimony of what one person can achieve when there is passion, humility, courage, determination--and teamwork.
Although I found Greg's first book fascinating, I am even more taken by his latest book, Stones Into Schools. Here he works in Afghanistan, where his work is more dangerous and the location more remote. In this book, he reflects one of the most important lessons he has learned along his journey:
Of the many lessons that that old man imparted to me, this was perhaps the greatest. It underscores the importance of taking the time to build relationships, while simultaneously affirming the basic truth that in order to get things done in this part of the world, it is essential to listen with humility to what others have to say. The solution to every problem, Haji Ali firmly believed, begins with drinking tea. And so it has proven. (Stones into Schools, Kindle locations 379-86)
The power of listening and of building relationships is fundament to Mortenson's work. He learns that in tribal areas, although skill and courage are important, relationships are the key to success. In my experience, that's true not only in tribal societies but in 21st century business as well. If we could only spend a little more time listening and building relationships, perhaps work would be a little easier and more rewarding.
First, some definition. Lieder are love songs of primarily Dutch and German origin, with lyrics that evidence literary aspiration. I first encountered the "liedership" term a dozen or so years ago in connection with productions at London's South Bank Centre. The celebration commemorated the 200th birthday of Austria's Franz Schubert, an iconic master of the genre.
Leadership, on the other hand, wasn't in great demand in the earliest days of physical distribution. How much leadership was really needed when all we did was move stuff from Point A to Point B, and put it someplace once it had arrived? Slowly, but thankfully, some leaders in the field began to emerge. They began the processes of extending our understanding of the scope of logistics and supply chain management, and they elevated our appreciation of the value of our role(s) in organizational performance.
In today's complex and interconnected supply chains, leadership - strong leadership - is an absolute necessity. For the really good supply chains that are built on the foundations of well-managed business relationships, leadership is the magical mystery ingredient. The process of building strong business relationships is not a grass-roots movement, although it does require grass-roots execution. Only leadership can provide the vision for future state success, as well as command and commit the resources of people, programs, and time needed to keep relationships working at high levels.
And Liederkranz? For some of us, it means a funny little American cheese, characterized by an indelibly pungent aroma, and now extinct. But liederkranz ("wreath of songs") is actually a singing society, and is far from extinct wherever German heritage and tradition are preserved. Curiously, a liederkranz may be one of the few environments in which both liedership and leadership are vital to sustainable success.
I've been glued to CNN this past week trying to comprehend the catastophe following the earthquake in Haiti. I've been impressed with many things, but one of the things that has impressed me the most has been the power of relationships. In a catastrophe - be it in Haiti or in business-- when everything you had counted on has failed, often the only currency we have left is the power of relationships. Our ability to quickly make connections, create trust and find a common ground can be the difference between life and death. Those in Haiti -- or in business--who are paralyzed by fear, full of self-doubt and want to isolate are really struggling. Those in Haiti --or in business--who have had strong relationships or know how to create them guickly are doing better. They are the resilient ones, and they are the ones most likely to thrive in the future.
The good news is that we can all learn how to be better at creating relationships. There are tools and practices to help us. There is no magic to it. Relationship building is a learned skill. The real challenge is to actively practice those skills before we need to depend on them in life or death situations. I think I need to keep practicing.