We have been talking to many of our customers and have seen a consistent trend among our small sample size – Q4 is going to be a good quarter. Of course, that doesn’t do much for the last few days of this quarter and Q3, but it is a good sign. Now CNNMoney.com has an article that may have a significantly larger sample size: The Business Roundtable is an association of CEOs of major corporations, representing a combined work force of more than 10 million employees and $4.5 trillion in annual revenues. Here is the takeaway from this group (my bold): At the same time, a survey by the Business… Read More
Continue ReadingHiring On The Rebound
The hiring outlook from the Manpower survey looks far better than a year ago which is a good sign. Although there is weakness in areas, the hiring trend is still positive: “While overall softness continues in the third quarter, employers are generally not reacting with large-scale payroll reductions,” said Jeffrey A. Joerres, chairman and CEO of Manpower Inc. “The gradual slowdown suggests that employers have become sophisticated at anticipating their hiring needs.” Of the 14,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 26% expect to increase their workforces during the July – September period, while 10% expect to scale back their payrolls for a net employment outlook of 16% (seasonally adjusted 12%). Fifty-eight percent… Read More
Continue ReadingValue Proposition-You Don’t Have To Be Different
MarketingProfs.com has a superb, thought-provoking article regarding value propositions. If you have read The Hire Sense of late, you know this is a topic we are exploring in many facets of sales. I have to confess, this author’s take is completely different (irony there) than the other points I have read on this topic. Here is the gist of his commentary: So be different: Stop listening to the continuous pleas from consultants, marketers, and textbooks to be different… one of a kind.. .a shining beacon of newness in a sea of same-old same-old. Focus instead on actually delivering the value to the market that you say you deliver (which, in… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Key To Sales Retention
Listen, according to this Selling Power article: “One of the mistakes companies have made in the past is that they make decisions without real input from the people who are most affected by the hiring decisions,” says Opton. “Companies need to realize that they always have two sets of customers – internal and external. The minute that someone comes to work for them, that person becomes an internal customer to the organization. The organization needs to listen to what their needs are and act on those needs.” The article references a survey regarding executives’ wants, but it is representative of employees also. The interesting stat that always seems to come… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Highest-Level Verb
It isn’t always clear what the exact number is, but more than 50% of jobseekers lie on embellish their resume. Forbes offers up an article titled Overachievement Without Achievement that contains a picture of Milli Vanilli. How perfect is that? The article quotes 53% as the number of people who lie on embellish their resume. But check this out: Some college students are encouraged to embellish items on their résumés. “They are taught to use the highest-level verb,” says Nancy Davis, a psychology professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. For instance, an intern who ran copies of an instruction manual might say he “created” the manual on his… Read More
Continue ReadingDefining Value Today
BusinessWeek.com has an excerpt from a new book from C.K. Prahalad and M.S. Krishnan. They provide an interesting take on a topic we have been studying of late – value. Salespeople have to know their company’s value proposition in the market. That last part, in the market, is the key. We have seen plenty of companies who have an internal perception of their value, but some times it is not based in reality. Salespeople have to sort this problem out, which is an area in which we assist them. At any rate, these opening graphs caught my attention as they elucidate a value trend we are seeing in the marketplace… Read More
Continue ReadingCoffee Reduces Stress
Here is some wonderful news about coffee to start your Monday. From Yahoo Health: Just sniffing that first hot cup of coffee in the morning may help ease some stresses you might be feeling, a South Korean trial indicates. When rats inhaled the aroma of roasted coffee beans, a number of genes were activated, including some that produce proteins with healthful antioxidant activity, the researchers reported. “The meaning of it is not totally clear yet,” said Dr. Peter R. Martin, director of the Institute of Coffee Studies at Vanderbilt University. “What it does show is that coffee smells do change the brain to some degree, and it behooves us to… Read More
Continue ReadingCustomer Service – Dex Style
Unbelievable. I sent an email NINE days ago to Dex, the phone book company. They have an old listing for our business including a phone number and address we haven’t had for over 3 years. I was just informed of this fact by a customer who was trying to reach us from a coffee shop when he didn’t have his cell phone with him. The response from the Dex rep says much about customer service in this particular market segment. My initial email through their website form simply stated they had the wrong information for our company and I provided the correct information. The response I received: Thank you for… Read More
Continue ReadingTopgrading For Sales
We received an email heads up about the new book from Bradford Smart titled Topgrading for Sales. What I like is the promo page they have put together for the book – it includes a movie trailer…of the book’s content. A very web 2.0 approach which I appreciate. The topics include how to interview, hire and coach top performing salespeople. The one thing that catches my eye is the calculator for mishires. This topic is bandied about without a definitive number for what a bad sales hire costs a company. The number is certainly staggering no matter how it is calculated. The opportunity cost is the killer…and a number that… Read More
Continue ReadingCreative Employer Gas Programs
This article from abcnews.com discusses different corporate plans to help employees deal with the rapidly increasing gas price. Of all the creative approaches I have read of late, I think this one takes the cake (my bold): The career search Web site Jobing.com’s program really helps employees’ wallets. Those who meet certain requirements (such as length of time at the company, a good driving record and completion of a safe driving course) can get their car completely wrapped with the company’s logo. The reward: 100% of the employee’s gas is paid for along with a monthly $500 stipend. The company has an approved list of cars that employees can choose… Read More
Continue Reading