By Tim A. Schultz
On a recent business trip to a major trade show I had the pleasure of having dinner with the principles of Compact Power Services. Over the course of dinner, Bob Blaschke, company COO, shared his philosophy of what makes a company successful, what makes employees successful, and how a successful company relates to its customers. And while his business concerns power services for thermal cutting operations, his E-Initiatives translate equally well into any business or any customer situation. Consequently, I have taken Bob’s E-Initiative Power Point Presentation, modified it and re-written it so that it is more generic and can be applicable to almost any company.
Bob Blaschke defined four E-Initiatives that drive and grow business, two E-Initiatives that drown it, and then added up Integrated E-Initiatives for Failure, and more important for Success.
E-1 - Efficiency in Processes, Procedures and Overall Operations – More specifically, this means maximizing revenue, minimizing costs, with the least amount of unbillable expenses, which in-turn assures invoices that cover all work performed. So how can your company and your employees accomplish E-1?
1. By reducing travel and planning each trip with the least amount of travel expense. More specifically, it means clustering calls in the same area or on the same day, closing all calls at the same location on one trip, and sending the closest yet most qualified employee to answer and solve specific problems.
2. By maintaining the best balance in workload. That means reducing overtime by proper scheduling and planning ahead.
3. By maintaining correct call combinations, which means combining technical service with routine maintenance in one visit, which maximizes what any field service man can accomplish in any given day.
4. By sending the right people with proper training to do the right job.
5. By maintaining the right parts at the right place for the right cost, which means that field service always carries the right parts, that the warehouse never runs out of parts that are used monthly, and that shipping departments become proactive, minimizing costs while meeting required schedules.
6. And finally, with proper and complete billing, which means fully billing the customer according to the agreement and value of the service.
E-2 – Effectiveness in Meeting and Exceeding Customer Expectations – So how can your company and all your employees contribute to achieving E-2?
1. By providing responsive service, getting to the customer as soon as possible, when you are required and on the same day if necessary.
2. By fixing the problem while they are there and minimizing unnecessary costs to the customer.
3. By getting the job done right the first time with quality people, who can apply past experience to current situations, who make every effort to not leave until the problem is solved, and who detail a job done right with quality documentation.
4. By maintaining a staff of the right people who will travel to the job with the right part for the right place, at the right time, and for the right cost.
E-3 – Engaged Employees are key to Enthusiastic Customers – Why are employees Key in achieving E-3 and what do they do?
1. They trigger enthusiasm by performing their duties with fun and friendliness.
2. They work smarter and are always be willing to help.
3. They say what they are going to do and then do what they say
4. They are always ready, willing and able to learn something new.
5. They care about customers and never forget that their customers pay the bills.
6. They focus on the goals that make the company successful, while demonstrating genuine care for the company and people around them.
E-4 – Enthusiastic Customers result from Engaged Employees being Efficient & Effective – So how do Engaged
Employees create Enthusiast Customers to achieve E-4?
1. By always meeting customer needs and exceeding their expectations.
2. By giving customers great value by providing quality products and service at a fair price.
3. By responding to customer needs as quickly as possible, on-time, as promised, and on the same day if possible.
4. By fixing problems right the first time, or at the very least by providing a temporary fix until they can provide the total solution.
5. By communicating with customers and fellow employees early and often. Any news is better than no news.
6. By making customer contacts look good to their bosses.
7. By providing customers with solutions, not excuses.
8. By acknowledging failed expectations and fixing problems in a hurry when expectations are not met.
9. By always treating the customer fairly.
What are the E-Initiatives that Drown a Business?
E-5 – When Excuses are accepted as reasons for failure in Efficiency and Effectiveness.
E-6 – When Enraged Customers are created by not accomplishing E-2 (Effectively Meeting and Exceeding Customer Expectations) because of E-5 (Excuses)
To Sum Things Up:
Negative Integrated E-Initiatives will Add Up and Equal Failure
E-5 – Accepting Excuses rather than Finding Solutions
Plus
E-6 – Creating Enraged Customers by Not Meeting Customer Needs
Equals
Lost Opportunities for the Company, the Whole Team, Each Employee and Every Family
But Positive Integrated E-Initiatives Add Up and Equal Success
E-1 – Efficiently Minimizing Costs while Assuring Full Billing
Plus
E-2 – Effectively Exceeding Customer Expectations
Plus
E-3 – Engaged Employees
Equals
E-4 – Enthusiastic Customers, which translates into Positive Results for Each Employee, the Whole Team, the Entire Company and Every Family.
Compact Power Services is a world-class organization of certified local technicians providing cost reducing maintenance services for facilities and commercial equipment nationwide. You can contact them at 803-324-8000 or visit them at www.compactserv.com.
Tim A. Schultz is President and owner of Marcom Solutions, a full-service marketing communications agency supporting business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients. He can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 216-314-2227.
On a recent business trip to a major trade show I had the pleasure of having dinner with the principles of Compact Power Services. Over the course of dinner, Bob Blaschke, company COO, shared his philosophy of what makes a company successful, what makes employees successful, and how a successful company relates to its customers. And while his business concerns power services for thermal cutting operations, his E-Initiatives translate equally well into any business or any customer situation. Consequently, I have taken Bob’s E-Initiative Power Point Presentation, modified it and re-written it so that it is more generic and can be applicable to almost any company.
Bob Blaschke defined four E-Initiatives that drive and grow business, two E-Initiatives that drown it, and then added up Integrated E-Initiatives for Failure, and more important for Success.
E-1 - Efficiency in Processes, Procedures and Overall Operations – More specifically, this means maximizing revenue, minimizing costs, with the least amount of unbillable expenses, which in-turn assures invoices that cover all work performed. So how can your company and your employees accomplish E-1?
1. By reducing travel and planning each trip with the least amount of travel expense. More specifically, it means clustering calls in the same area or on the same day, closing all calls at the same location on one trip, and sending the closest yet most qualified employee to answer and solve specific problems.
2. By maintaining the best balance in workload. That means reducing overtime by proper scheduling and planning ahead.
3. By maintaining correct call combinations, which means combining technical service with routine maintenance in one visit, which maximizes what any field service man can accomplish in any given day.
4. By sending the right people with proper training to do the right job.
5. By maintaining the right parts at the right place for the right cost, which means that field service always carries the right parts, that the warehouse never runs out of parts that are used monthly, and that shipping departments become proactive, minimizing costs while meeting required schedules.
6. And finally, with proper and complete billing, which means fully billing the customer according to the agreement and value of the service.
E-2 – Effectiveness in Meeting and Exceeding Customer Expectations – So how can your company and all your employees contribute to achieving E-2?
1. By providing responsive service, getting to the customer as soon as possible, when you are required and on the same day if necessary.
2. By fixing the problem while they are there and minimizing unnecessary costs to the customer.
3. By getting the job done right the first time with quality people, who can apply past experience to current situations, who make every effort to not leave until the problem is solved, and who detail a job done right with quality documentation.
4. By maintaining a staff of the right people who will travel to the job with the right part for the right place, at the right time, and for the right cost.
E-3 – Engaged Employees are key to Enthusiastic Customers – Why are employees Key in achieving E-3 and what do they do?
1. They trigger enthusiasm by performing their duties with fun and friendliness.
2. They work smarter and are always be willing to help.
3. They say what they are going to do and then do what they say
4. They are always ready, willing and able to learn something new.
5. They care about customers and never forget that their customers pay the bills.
6. They focus on the goals that make the company successful, while demonstrating genuine care for the company and people around them.
E-4 – Enthusiastic Customers result from Engaged Employees being Efficient & Effective – So how do Engaged
Employees create Enthusiast Customers to achieve E-4?
1. By always meeting customer needs and exceeding their expectations.
2. By giving customers great value by providing quality products and service at a fair price.
3. By responding to customer needs as quickly as possible, on-time, as promised, and on the same day if possible.
4. By fixing problems right the first time, or at the very least by providing a temporary fix until they can provide the total solution.
5. By communicating with customers and fellow employees early and often. Any news is better than no news.
6. By making customer contacts look good to their bosses.
7. By providing customers with solutions, not excuses.
8. By acknowledging failed expectations and fixing problems in a hurry when expectations are not met.
9. By always treating the customer fairly.
What are the E-Initiatives that Drown a Business?
E-5 – When Excuses are accepted as reasons for failure in Efficiency and Effectiveness.
E-6 – When Enraged Customers are created by not accomplishing E-2 (Effectively Meeting and Exceeding Customer Expectations) because of E-5 (Excuses)
To Sum Things Up:
Negative Integrated E-Initiatives will Add Up and Equal Failure
E-5 – Accepting Excuses rather than Finding Solutions
Plus
E-6 – Creating Enraged Customers by Not Meeting Customer Needs
Equals
Lost Opportunities for the Company, the Whole Team, Each Employee and Every Family
But Positive Integrated E-Initiatives Add Up and Equal Success
E-1 – Efficiently Minimizing Costs while Assuring Full Billing
Plus
E-2 – Effectively Exceeding Customer Expectations
Plus
E-3 – Engaged Employees
Equals
E-4 – Enthusiastic Customers, which translates into Positive Results for Each Employee, the Whole Team, the Entire Company and Every Family.
Compact Power Services is a world-class organization of certified local technicians providing cost reducing maintenance services for facilities and commercial equipment nationwide. You can contact them at 803-324-8000 or visit them at www.compactserv.com.
Tim A. Schultz is President and owner of Marcom Solutions, a full-service marketing communications agency supporting business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients. He can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 216-314-2227.
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