Comments on: BrandingWire: Helping a Consulting Business http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/ A blog about customers, their experiences, and how businesses can make sure their customer experiences rock! Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:07:18 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Becky Carroll http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-14021 Becky Carroll Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:54:22 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-14021 Valeria, you are so right. It is not just in the capture of information but in the use of the information where we can make a difference! Too many companies pay a lot of money for consultants, then they let the reports sit on the shelves and gather dust. As a consultant, I try to make sure my deliverables are written in such as way that they call out for action! Thanks for the compliment, too! :-) Valeria, you are so right. It is not just in the capture of information but in the use of the information where we can make a difference! Too many companies pay a lot of money for consultants, then they let the reports sit on the shelves and gather dust. As a consultant, I try to make sure my deliverables are written in such as way that they call out for action!

Thanks for the compliment, too! :-)

]]> By: Becky Carroll http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-14020 Becky Carroll Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:52:21 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-14020 Pat, some people think it feels pushy to go out and start looking for the next piece of project work when you aren't finished with the last one. However, a consulting firm that understands the client needs can see how to build on the current project - and clients are usually open to something that will help them be more successful! Thanks for pulling this point out. Martin, thank you for your comment and for your kind words! The relationship is what it is all about. :-) Lewis, building the relationships on multiple levels helps insulate us against movement, but also sets up long-term relations with people rather than with companies. Good to hear you always go back to find out why you didn't get the work! Hey, learning from 1/3 of the companies is enough to see where improvements should be made. Thanks for contributing! Pat, some people think it feels pushy to go out and start looking for the next piece of project work when you aren’t finished with the last one. However, a consulting firm that understands the client needs can see how to build on the current project – and clients are usually open to something that will help them be more successful! Thanks for pulling this point out.

Martin, thank you for your comment and for your kind words! The relationship is what it is all about. :-)

Lewis, building the relationships on multiple levels helps insulate us against movement, but also sets up long-term relations with people rather than with companies. Good to hear you always go back to find out why you didn’t get the work! Hey, learning from 1/3 of the companies is enough to see where improvements should be made. Thanks for contributing!

]]> By: Becky Carroll http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-14019 Becky Carroll Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:48:06 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-14019 Drew, I agree with you that this point alone, finding out why they lost the sale/continuing business, is key to their future success. At this late point, however, it may be tough to get customers to answer this question, as the firm doesn't seem to be in the habit of building relationships with their clients! Thanks for your contribution! Drew, I agree with you that this point alone, finding out why they lost the sale/continuing business, is key to their future success. At this late point, however, it may be tough to get customers to answer this question, as the firm doesn’t seem to be in the habit of building relationships with their clients!

Thanks for your contribution!

]]> By: Valeria Maltoni http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-14003 Valeria Maltoni Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:01:18 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-14003 Yes, do a delta to find out what you did not do so well and get feedback -- then use it to change your model. Many companies actually do go ahead and capture information through satisfaction surveys well, yet it all falls apart because there is no process in place to change the business on the basis of the feedback. Somehow I cannot access WordPress blogs at work... I knew you would have several pointers to chew on ;-) Yes, do a delta to find out what you did not do so well and get feedback — then use it to change your model. Many companies actually do go ahead and capture information through satisfaction surveys well, yet it all falls apart because there is no process in place to change the business on the basis of the feedback.

Somehow I cannot access WordPress blogs at work… I knew you would have several pointers to chew on ;-)

]]> By: Lewis Green http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13998 Lewis Green Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:39:48 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13998 Becky, Like Martin I love this idea: Build relationships with the clients on multiple levels. As for going back and asking why we didn't get the work, we always do. About a third of the companies respond. Still, it helps us learn and adapt to customers wants and needs. Becky,

Like Martin I love this idea: Build relationships with the clients on multiple levels.

As for going back and asking why we didn’t get the work, we always do. About a third of the companies respond. Still, it helps us learn and adapt to customers wants and needs.

]]> By: Martin Jelsema http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13993 Martin Jelsema Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:40:13 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13993 Building relationships at all levels is not only vital, it's the best way to brand a consulting company. I wrote about whether the company or the founder's persona should be "branded" for a service provider. But really, just like last month's IT provider, we must realize every employee is the brand. They not only represent the brand, they are the brand. This is a consideration in hiring people, in training them and in evaluating them. Becky, in a few bullet points you've nailed the problems and the solutions. Well done. Martin Building relationships at all levels is not only vital, it’s the best way to brand a consulting company. I wrote about whether the company or the founder’s persona should be “branded” for a service provider. But really, just like last month’s IT provider, we must realize every employee is the brand. They not only represent the brand, they are the brand. This is a consideration in hiring people, in training them and in evaluating them.

Becky, in a few bullet points you’ve nailed the problems and the solutions. Well done.

Martin

]]> By: Patrick Schaber http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13988 Patrick Schaber Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:04:04 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13988 "Look for the next project from this client before the current one is finished." From the client side of this issue, I can tell you that the people who do this right, get alot more business. They're typically the ones that have listened and understood the customer. Great post! Pat “Look for the next project from this client before the current one is finished.”

From the client side of this issue, I can tell you that the people who do this right, get alot more business. They’re typically the ones that have listened and understood the customer.

Great post!

Pat

]]> By: Drew McLellan http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13978 Drew McLellan Tue, 09 Oct 2007 05:28:39 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13978 "Too many firms that lose the sale don’t go back and ask why." Yup! If every company implemented this, they'd be stunned at what they learned. For a company like this one, with a track record of losing current clients, it is vital. The insights gained by asking this question alone may be enough for them to right the ship. Drew “Too many firms that lose the sale don’t go back and ask why.”

Yup! If every company implemented this, they’d be stunned at what they learned. For a company like this one, with a track record of losing current clients, it is vital. The insights gained by asking this question alone may be enough for them to right the ship.

Drew

]]> By: Becky Carroll http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13975 Becky Carroll Tue, 09 Oct 2007 04:26:24 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13975 Thanks, Kevin. You are probably right about them not having a customer satisfaction survey! If they were more in touch with their customers, they might have seen this coming. I also like the idea you raised about keeping relationships when people leave companies. It just shows how relationships are with the people, not with the firms! Thanks, Kevin. You are probably right about them not having a customer satisfaction survey! If they were more in touch with their customers, they might have seen this coming. I also like the idea you raised about keeping relationships when people leave companies. It just shows how relationships are with the people, not with the firms!

]]> By: Kevin Dugan http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13973 Kevin Dugan Tue, 09 Oct 2007 04:16:37 +0000 http://customersrock.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/brandingwire-helping-a-consulting-business/#comment-13973 This is great. I like the focus on making sure nothing happens to the existing business. I'm betting our imaginary company does not have an annual customer satisfaction survey. In addition to multiple relationships, tracking them when they leave the company...they always do. When ex-clients become new clients, it's always great. Ex-employees too for that matter. This is great. I like the focus on making sure nothing happens to the existing business. I’m betting our imaginary company does not have an annual customer satisfaction survey.

In addition to multiple relationships, tracking them when they leave the company…they always do. When ex-clients become new clients, it’s always great. Ex-employees too for that matter.

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