 | | TAB Fort Worth Anniversaries & New Members | |
May/June Anniv.
Liane Janovsky
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| Hear How We Help Our Members |
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| | Quick Tips | CRM - Making a Difference
I recently rolled out an online based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool. The more I work with the tool the more uses I see for it. Now I look at it as a potential for monitoring accountability, key performance indicators and tracking for turning around customer issues. If your organization doesn't have a CRM tool, I highly recommend that you investigate them. I am already seeing results from it.
Michael Herring, Best Skins Ever, Arvada, CO
Expectations
When hiring a new employee, besides preparing a job description signoff, hand them a list of "20 things we expect from you each and every day". This ought to include items like "have a good, positive attitude" and "be on time." Then have the president and the new employee sign it. You'll be surprised by the impact it has on an employee's performance.
Craig Noto, SA Quality Fence, San Antonio, TX | |
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| | Attend the TAB Fort Worth Business Bites |
"Good venue, lunch and program. Would highly recommend for the future" - Richard Minker
"The library setting and the lunch were truly icing on the cake" - Jan Edmonds
"Good lunch, good speaker, nice guests - I think you have it covered" - Amy Kelly
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| | Event Details |
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Watch for Upcoming Events
6/2 - "The Legal Audit: an Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure" - attorneys at Shannon Gracey
7/7 - "Talent Management: Hiring & Keeping Highly Motivated Employees" - Norm Bobay, President, hireMAX
8/4 - "Sales for the Non Sales Professional" - Shelley Plemons, President/CEO, Strategic Sales Solutions
11/12 TAB DFW Quarterly Business Improvement Workshop | |
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TAB Tips published in the Fort Worth Business Press | |
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| | Need to find something in one of our prior newsletters? |
Click here to access our archived newsletters. | |
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| | Connect with LinkedIn | |
LinkedIn Classes
6/2 Profiles Plus
6/18 Sales & Marketing
6/24 Advanced Sales & Marketing
Click here - Integrated Alliances LinkedIn training and Social Media strategy
Read LinkedIn Testimonials
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| Schedule a TAB Speaker for your Organization |
| The Alternative Board (TAB) of Fort Worth possesses a Speakers Bureau comprised of individuals from various companies and industries. The range of topics is varied (finance, the environment, new technologies - such as LinkedIn business network, ethics, energy efficiency, and small business management, to name a few).
Click here for a list of topics.
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| | TAB in The News |
For a full listing of press hits, please visit our In the News page. | |
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TAB Fort Worth Business Bites Lunch 'N Learn
The Legal Audit: an Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
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 Register by May 28 for this free event; limited seating
Please plan to join us on Wednesday, June 2, 2010, at 11:45 AM at the offices of Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, LLP.
Our speakers are attorneys at Shannon Gracey.
You've built a company that you hope will not only survive but thrive in these tough economic times. However, it takes just one legal issue to drain your finances--something most business owners can hardly afford.
The attorneys at Shannon Gracey will be your guide to provide an overview of some of the most common pitfalls facing entrepreneurs and business leaders that can lead to liability or litigation. They will discuss an array of issues that are often overlooked by business owners until it is too late, so that you can minimize your exposure.
Feedback from previous Business Bites:
"Good venue, lunch and program. Would highly recommend for the future" - Richard Minker
"The library setting and the lunch were truly icing on the cake" - Jan Edmonds
"Good lunch, good speaker, nice guests - I think you have it covered" - Amy Kelly |
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Get the Most Out of Your Meetings! | |
You can insure that you properly structure your meetings by:
* Having an agenda
* Setting an objective
* Appointing a notetaker
* Appointing a time keeper
* Listing action items in an action plan (who will do what by when)
In addition, someone should own the meeting--preparing the agenda and notifying all in advance of the meeting. Putting the action plan on a laptop hooked to a projector is also a good idea. The action plan can then be updated during the meeting. At the end of the meeting, the minutes and action plan can be emailed or posted where all can access them. The Toastmasters International Web site, www.toastmasters.org, is an excellent source of information on how to run a meeting. Ron Mondor, Zantek Information Technology, Winnipeg, Canada |
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New Member Highlight
An Avenue for Self-Improvement
Randy Ferrari, President, The Landscape Partners | |
 Randy Ferrari is motivated to explore TAB in order to be a part of a well-run, established, local peer board group outside of his industry. He looks forward to being exposed to new and/or different leadership/management techniques.
Always pursuing avenues for self-improvement, Randy has always accepted challenges and sees his involvement in TAB as a means to enhance his abilities and to challenge his thinking.
Founded in 2003, The Landscape Partners, LTD is located in Richland Hills, with a second office in Dallas on Maple Avenue. The company is a nationally recognized commercial landscape management company that serves the greater Dallas/Ft.Worth Metropolitan area. 2009 sales were 4.1 million with over 250 commercial clients in the DFW area.
Randy has over 30 years of management experience in his field and has been involved in industry leadership throughout his career. In addition, Randy has been involved in two start-up businesses as well as an industry consolidation (TruGreen Landcare) where he was appointed to a national leadership position that involved managing 15 branches across 4 states. Randy's partners at The Landscape Partners are Mr. David Minor and Mr. Rick Onstott. |
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New Member Highlight
Seeking an Entrepreneur Environment
Jamie Brown, Owner, Jamie Brown Public Relations |  Jamie Brown recognizes the benefits of having others outside her industry to bounce off ideas, in particular those pertaining to business development, networking, negotiating, contracting, etc. Being a member of TAB affords Jamie the opportunity to "bounce those ideas."
Not coming from an entrepreneurial family or background, Jamie also knows that she needs to surround herself with others who are entrepreneurs.
Jamie is the owner of Jamie Brown Public Relations. She started her firm one year ago, and recently left JPS Health Network as the director of public relations in order to balance her growing family with her blended expertise and experience in public relations, television and working knowledge of social media, including: media relations, internal and external organizational communications, crisis communication planning and strategy, corporate video writing and production, social media campaign guidance.
Previous positions include: Writer at WFAA-TV,
Assignments Desk Editor at KTVT, and
News Director at Irving Community Television
"Jamie used her high energy to provide a new direction for the JPS Public Relations Department. She handled projects both big and small including, expanding our newsletters, developing relationships with the media and managing a myriad of crises. I highly recommend her." -
Robert Earley, President and CEO - JPS Health Network |
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Q/A The Workplace Doctor™
Golden Rules of Orientation |
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Instead of a few passing introductions and directions to the restroom and supply cabinet, expedite a new employee's contribution and your bottom line. 1. Have their desk stocked and their computer, phone and email ready. 2. Give them your undivided attention; no phones, no texting. 3. Use a checklist and review items such as employee handbook; policies; company's history, mission and vision; specific objectives and responsibilities; expectations; code of conduct; organizational chart and staff/team directories. 4. Hold a team meeting, introducing the new employee. Share the new employee's background and job description. Ask each team member to share their key responsibilities and expertise. 5. Hold a team breakfast, lunch or coffee welcome on the first day; assign at least one buddy or mentor with specific expectations. 6. Schedule one-on-one time plus 30/60/90 day feedback sessions. Regardless of the size of the company, first impressions can be lasting, and, in business, costly.
Copyright 2009, Dr. Connie Sitterly, "The Workplace Doctor™" President, Sittcom, Inc., Management Training Specialists. Connie is an international speaker, trainer, executive coach, author, management consultant. You may reach her by phone 817.737.2893 , Connie's email / Visit Connie's website |
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Communication
Stop Spreading Signs |
Signs are an interesting form of communication. Most people who create them are well-intentioned. Their good nature leads them to tape loose leaf notebook paper with arrows drawn on them to serve as detour notices in construction ridden hallways. They desperately want to let you know that you should hang on to your dollar rather than risk losing it in a feeble attempt to extract a cold beverage from an unruly soda machine.
Fair enough, but when the communication comes down to an important business function--such as discontinuing a particular form of service or the relocation of an office--you want to make sure that people are being informed at the right time in the right manner. Creating a sign is a passive form of communication. It prevents front line personnel from having to engage customers. The notion is if they create a sign, then they don't have to be the one to provide the disappointing news.
Actually, they are only fueling the flames of frustration. The customer is now angry before they even get to the frontline staff person. Conversely, we can't be angry about something we haven't been made aware of, and it is less disappointing when someone apologizes and offers a solution.
Signs can't convey tone or sympathy - only humans. Stop spreading signs. Be human.
Jamie Brown, Owner, Jamie Brown Public Relations
Website / Communication/PR Updates Blog |
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Effectively "Opening" a Sales Call | Sometimes the best way to start your sales call is to forget your sales pitch and offer information instead.
For example, instead of trying to sell a prospect on our services, we had our people call and ask prospects if they were aware of the new tax bill that would give a tax break to companies that hired new employees (every company can benefit from hearing this).
By giving out helpful information, we positioned ourselves as tax experts who could be helpful to the prospect. If it was appropriate, we could have followed with a sales pitch. Or we could have stopped after educating them and merely used the call as an introduction that could lead to a sales pitch in a subsequent call.
Not all sales calls have to be about sales; sometimes educating a prospect is much more effective.
Lorri Cochrane, Certified Payroll & Tax Services, Bohemia, NY |
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Financial
Two Functions of Enterprises |
 "The business enterprise has two--and only two--basic functions: marketing and innovation. All the rest are costs."
Drucker's Law (Peter Drucker 1909-2005)
Think about how you can apply this thought to your business.
- What are you doing to create new value?
- Marketing - how can it be improved?
- Are there costs that don't support the firm's efforts in the above?
Have a great year and make your enterprise perform and grow!
(This came as a gift from one of my coaches.)
Best regards,
David H. Diesslin, MBA, CFP® Diesslin & Associates, Inc. |
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Simple Process Improvement Feedback |
As a small company, we are challenged to find methods to obtain customer feedback and to turn that feedback into processes that improve quality - without adding complexity to our lean employee base.
I set up a white board and a bulletin board in the shop where anyone can write a note with a marker or sticky note describing customer, product or internal communication problems--as simply and concisely as possible. We capture the notes on a weekly basis, analyze them for patterns and look for ways to eliminate them through process improvements.
The result is a simple way to capture information that will lead to quality product and service improvement for a small company with limited staff.
Stephen Skirrow, CVJ Axles Inc., Denver, CO |
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ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE BOARD®
The Alternative Board® is comprised of members who are business owners, CEOs or presidents who run businesses in non-competing fields. During a TAB Board meeting, you receive the benefit of the collective experience of the board members, who offer practical solutions to your problems-not theories.
You can learn more about TAB, which has been helping business owners succeed since 1990, by visiting TheAlternativeBoard.com |
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