In the past, customers have had few choices of vendors depending on the product or service. Today, the customer has a wide variety to choose from, making the differentiation between companies increasingly difficult for both the customer and your prospects. Customizing your company's solution to meet a customer's needs is dependent on the knowledge you have of your customer. This knowledge usually comes from the relationship you have with your customer and what you learn and remember from that relationship.

The customer relationship begins well before the first contact that the salesperson has with the customer. If your marketing group has done its homework, it has already compiled information about the customer based on targeted markets and the customer's need for your products and services. The marketing group has researched specific information about the company, its employees, and products. This information will serve as the foundation for the relationship that the salesperson will initiate with the customer.

Throughout the sales cycle, the salesperson maintains a relationship with the customer and obtains valuable knowledge and information on that customer. Sharing the customer's needs and expectations with those individuals delivering the product or service is critical to the successful transition from sales to operations. The more you know about your customer, the better equipped you will be in managing the customer relationship and providing tailored solutions that meet the customer's needs.

But, how can you get to know your customer better? Read Parts 2 and 3 at the Project, Process and Business Improvement Blog.

Personal performance depends largely on managing yourself well, and portraying that accomplishment to your superiors. The questions below will help you determine if you are on the right track in terms of your performance.

Do I know exactly what tasks I am to do?

Do I seek out tasks and responsibilities if they are not explicitly assigned?

Have I made sure that the expected key results for my tasks have been defined?

Do I know how my tasks and expected results fit into the larger project picture?

Have I ranked the importance of each task?

Have I identified potential obstacles?

Do I know which methods of measurement will be used in tracking my progress?

Have I developed an action plan for accomplishing my tasks on schedule?

Have I involved all key people who can affect the outcome?

Am I contributing creative ideas to the team in solving the problem the project addresses?

Am I on time to appointments with other team members and clients?

Do I present a positive image?

Do I deliver work that is complete and quality- approved?

Do I produce work that is within scope and on time?

Do I document my work in a way that records it for maintainability?

Am I able to work in a self-sufficient manner when independence is called for?

Do I speak up and ask for help when I need it?

Do I help my fellow team members when they need it?

Do I keep the project manager and fellow team members informed of my progress and alerted to pitfalls?

Do I communicate issues clearly?

Do I take the initiative for solving problems that arise with my tasks and seek out solutions before talking to the project manager about them?

Am I technically competent to do the job?

If I were the project manager or client, would I hire me to do another job in the future?

Google Hacks
100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools
by:Calishain & Dornfest

If Google is the first place you turn to locate information on the Internet, then this book is for you. You'll find a large collection of Google capabilities that you may not have even been aware of. There's plenty for the casual researcher as well as for programming geeks. If you've got too much time on your hands, one chapter -- Google Pranks and Games -- involves a handful of pranks, games, and other oddities you can do with Google.

If you administer your own website, one chapter provides tips and tricks for bringing in more visitors and increasing your page ranking. Google Hacks is a collection of industrial-strength, real- world, tested solutions to practical problems.

Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.
                    --Napoleon Hill

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
    --Calvin Coolidge

What I don't like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.
    --Phyllis Diller

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
    --Santa Claus

I have been receiving a tremendous number of consulting requests and client engagements via referrals from our established client base. I would like to personally thank all the people who have taken the time to recommend our services to their colleagues and peers. I appreciate your confidence and support!

. . . . . .

To those of you we often see and greet with love and cheer,
To others who though far away are equally as dear,
From all of us at Value Management we send this wish sincere...
For a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

email: ajv@valuemanagementpartners.com

phone: 330.329.0446

web: http://valuemanagementpartners.com