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Newsletter 11: 26062012

Lead Article (Self-help topic – PUT YOUR PRICES UP) The beginning of a new financial year brings with it a range of emotions. There can be satisfaction of a successful previous twelve months – or disappointment that targets were missed. I…
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Weekender Column 13

Balance. In all sorts of realms, finding balance is a difficult thing. Balance in work and play. Balance in how you treat different employees and different children. Balance in the amount of sport on TV you watch compared to the amount of reality sho…
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Article 33

Go the extra step – use their name In my last article I wrote about an example of terrible customer service. I hate to focus too much on the negative so I want to give you an example of exemplary customer service. I was in China recently and I …
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Weekender Column 12

The concept of planning and budgeting is a concept that creates one of two extreme reactions. Some people start frothing at the mouth with the excitement of opening up their multi-sheet spreadsheet featuring pivot-tables Bill Gates wouldn’t und…
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Newsletter 10: 22052012

Lead Article (Self-help topic – DIFFERENT METHODS FOR DIFFERENT MARKETS) One of the most common mistakes I witness when a business expands is assuming that what works in one market will work in other markets. It might seem relatively easy to wo…
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Weekender Column 11

One aspect of local government that I have always admired is that I feel it is the purest form of democracy. Allowing for a few technical qualifications (Australian citizenship and not currently in prison being two), any adult can stand for election …
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How to take your own pulse

It’s hard for a business to get solid feedback. One way to get a clear picture is to appoint an advisory board. Two years ago I was asked for suggestions to improve a medium-sized IT business. I went through and looked at all the normal compone…
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Article 32

The real world is different to a textbook I almost feel silly writing an article about customer service. It seems obvious to me that every business is aware of how important it is to deliver exceptional customer service. Every business textbook and e…
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Article 31

Be careful what message you send I walked into a café recently. There was a lovely desktop published sign stuck on a potted plant that said, “YES, I am real, so don’t break my leaves, because it hurts. THANK YOU.” The appropr…
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Weekender Column 10

I am writing this column on the evening of ANZAC Day so it is impossible to sit down to write a column about my helicopter view and not be overwhelmed by the emotion of the day. Before I speak about some of that emotion, I want to think about the won…
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Newsletter 9: 22042012

Lead Article (Self-help topic – BAD SERVICE = REVENGE CUSTOMERS) Everyone in any service industry seems to be in agreement that it is a good idea to deliver exceptional service. Times have changed though and it is no longer just a good idea to …
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Weekender Column 9

The term lobbyist will often conjure up an image of a shady character doing unscrupulous deals behind closed doors to generate more money for a cigar-smoking tyrant sitting on his island in the Bahamas. Maybe there are some lobbyists that act in that…
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Article 30

Under-promise and over-deliver For regular readers of my column, you may have heard me use the term “under-promise and over-deliver” in an offhand way from time to time. For me, the logic seems incredibly obvious and I just assume that ev…
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Article 29

Technicians have a choice: Deliver what users want or be happy in the unemployment queue Most IT technicians don’t worry too much about unemployment figures or the risk of being unemployed. There are logical reasons for that – the latest …
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Article 28

Remember swings and roundabouts for client satisfaction     Long gone are the days when an IT organisation simply quoted an hourly rate, performed the work and then sent a bill reflecting the number of hours multiplied by the hour…
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Weekender Column 8

At 27km in length and up to 4km wide, the Tasman Glacier in New Zealand is that country’s longest and largest glacier. The glacier is currently reducing in size by up to 822m each year. In 1973, there was no terminal lake at the base of the gla…
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Newsletter 8: 27032012

Lead Article (Self-help topic – CREATE AN ADVISORY BOARD) My focus for this month centres on communication. Companies often have a great story to tell but potential clients don’t know about it because they don’t hear about it. If th…
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Article 8

Lead Article (Self-help topic – CREATE AN ADVISORY BOARD) My focus for this month centres on communication. Companies often have a great story to tell but potential clients don’t know about it because they don’t hear about it. If th…
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