Consulting for Success

Communications Enabling Business Processes

2007-06-07T08:33:00.001+05:30

Alexander Graham Bell. Some of you might recall the name. He unleashed a revolution, making all of us take communications for granted. We cannot imagine a world without a telephone of some sorts - be it your desk phone, home phone, mobile phone, a soft phone on your laptop, or even Skype.We cannot imagine how business would have been conducted, or at what speed would it have been conducted, but

SIP: Leading Contact Centers beyond VoIP

2007-03-22T10:14:00.000+05:30

My earlier post Business of Customer Responsiveness was a teaser for the C-level. I hope it continues serving its purpose by propagating and keeping the core message alive.Now I want to turn your attention to a key relevant topic in that teaser. Enter SIP. Session Initiation Protocol for the technically minded.But I firmly believe that more importantly, it is really a Simpler IP!When the art of "

Business of Customer Responsiveness

2007-03-14T09:01:00.000+05:30

Theme: Organizations boast of being responsive to their Customer, but does every part of their organization engage in Customer Responsiveness?I am aware that I am broaching a sensitive topic here. No CEO would ever admit that his/her organization is not customer responsive. Yet, when I scan the market; across industry verticals, across geographies, and even across varying business types; I find

Advent of the "Service Game"

2006-11-07T20:41:00.000+05:30

How frequently have you been a "Guest"?I don't expect to hear very many responses of the "What's that?" variety. When you are traveling, staying in a hotel, occupying a "guest" house, visiting friends & relatives, or just relaxing in a beach-side resort - you are experiencing what I'm trying to drive at.Which really is - you assume the "guest" status when you are not likely to be permanently "

I Know What You Want

2006-08-15T12:16:00.000+05:30

Today I witnessed something interesting. An experience worth sharing, because it opens up other lines of thinking.My 7 year old daughter Nidhi, brought a friend home, and they asked for permission from my wife Varsha to play games on Nidhi's PC. Having secured the permission, Nidhi went about the task of booting the PC, and opening the folder marked "Games for Nidhi". {I still get amazed at her

Effectiveness of Self-service: Are you lovin' it?

2006-07-25T16:03:00.000+05:30

Theme: Self-service has traditionally had a major impact on the business efficiency (by reducing costs). But now it is being widely adopted by businesses as a means to increase the effectiveness, by enhancing the user experience. Learn what has been happening and some useful information in the notes below.When I first heard the term Self-service, the vision that popped-up in my mind was that of

The Predictive game: Reaching out to prospects

2006-07-21T15:58:00.000+05:30

Theme: The 'Shotgun' approach - that of madly dialing out - needs curbing. WHY is it detrimental to the business and How to avoid common pitfallsWhen the going gets tough, the tough get going! The markets just got tougher, and as a result, the tough Business Leaders have the crisis of increasing-sales-at-any-cost on their hands. That calls for rapidly building the sales funnel, and one quick-fix

Don't move your lips when you say Quality

2006-07-10T15:09:00.000+05:30

I am yet to come across a business or meet a CEO that does not brag about "Quality"! "Sure, we produce / deliver / promote / utilize / create - Quality".... I see their lips move, doing a good service; and rarely more.What about your experience? Did ever your experiences differ from the above, and you heard - "Well, I don't know whether I should admit this, but honestly we strive hard to produce

Methodical madness: Do what makes sense to you

2006-07-06T13:23:00.000+05:30

You hear me (okay read my stuff...and I hope regularly at that) on the Business of running a successful business. I rant on and on:-manage Customer Interactions well, give Customers real choices (not in Henry Ford's Model T style), and make Customers feel they are in control, to convert them into staunch advocates... (You might want to jog your memory from the following: CRM (Re) Defined,

Seth's Perspective: How poor processes create disillusioned Customers

2006-07-05T17:31:00.000+05:30

On June 12th, I wrote the article Customer: A Victim of poor Business Processes.And today I looked up Seth Godin's blog, and got a perfect illustration on a poorly executed business process - The thing about coupons.Seth's personal example re-iterates my earlier point of how businesses (consciously or otherwise), alienate their customers instead of attempting to create staunch advocates!Mr. / Ms.

Customer Interaction Center: Business Context

2006-07-03T12:10:00.000+05:30

In my earlier articles, I have attempted to establish the importance of Customers & Customer interactions - refer to CRM (Re) Defined, Customers have choices, & What exactly is CRM?.The above articles examine the fundamental concept of WHY should Customer Interaction Center be an integral part of your business. To summarize the linkages between the earlier articles, (and to offer a starting point

Work Force Management: Business Impact

2006-06-27T15:11:00.000+05:30

If you have been following the series of my articles on the business of running a successful business, then you have hopefully understood the power of the 'customer'. Confident that you have done so, I further take the poetic license of taking a cue from Abe Lincoln, believing that: "..the thought - business of the customers, by the customers, for the customers - shall never perish from your mind

What exactly is CRM?

2006-06-21T16:52:00.000+05:30

I was in a seminar yesterday, and some offline discussions gravitated towards the subject of CRM. The general opinion was that CRM is a very costly software, and is generally overhyped to the point of being considered as a 'fashion statement' in the technology world.One Vice President of Customer Services was particularly vociferous on the 'glamor' angle, as she had a firm belief that 'someone

Proactively manage Customer Churn - in Real Time

2006-06-19T16:39:00.000+05:30

They say Change is the only constant in life. Having been reduced to a cliche (being quoted by every other guy), it is still an eternal truth. Hence, it is but natural that all businesses should expect their Customers to also look for change, and consequently, Customer Churn should be an equally prevalent truth that you cannot wish away.True. But the question is - how much is tolerable? What can

Customers have choices

2006-06-16T14:22:00.000+05:30

We live in the Information era. Information is power, Internet abounds, almost everybody knows what Google is (ever tried finding out in 1998 how many people had an inkling?).From information emanate choices. You have choices, I have choices, businesses have choices and so do their customers. Yet whilst businesses are busy prioritizing their choices of technologies, suppliers, markets &

Computer Telephony Integration for the Business

2006-06-15T16:39:00.000+05:30

If you are a Business Leader, and the last one to get embroiled in complex technical terms like Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), then you better read the rest of this article to get your EUREKA!! (or A-HA, whichever you prefer)The three words in CTI look so formidable - reeking of techical aspects. What have you got to do with Computers, Telephony or Integration (of the two)? You have the

Customer: A Victim of poor Business Processes

2006-06-12T12:01:00.000+05:30

I intend this to be a sequel to my previous article CRM (Re) Defined. Therein I had urged the CEOs around the world to think about the customer as a key to success.Now I turn your attention to some specific personal experiences, which I have translated into Business Problem statements that should hopefully become “big rock” items for CEOs to mull over.These personal experiences are being repeated

CRM (Re) Defined

2006-06-09T15:19:00.000+05:30

Every CEO thinks about managing growth - and more importantly - consistent growth.Managing multiple growth dimensions is the other challenge. CEOs need growth in:-- Top line to stay as the market leader- Bottom line to cover the dividends and the salary hikes- Workforce to manage financial growth ...The best kept secret of the growth process?If you as a CEO seek to fix the organization in