Often times when we discuss management we immediately begin to think of profit-seeking organisations, but truth be told there are quite a number of situations in which effective management is necessary. These can be broken down into two main categories: the aforementioned profit-seeking group or the not-for-profit group.

Profit seeking organisations include large businesses, small businesses, and even start-up businesses. Each has a unique set of management needs, but if you’re looking for a role model you should start by taking a closer look at some of the larger organisations in your area. They’re obviously doing something right from a management perspective. If not, they wouldn’t exist today.

Small businesses have crucial management needs as well. While you might regard management skills as less important in a very small setting, they’re actually more important. A bad business decision made for a large corporation may result in a loss but a mistake made by a small business may be devastating, even resulting in closure.

Non-profits require management as well. Just because they aren’t out to make a million dollars doesn’t mean there aren’t rules and procedures to be followed and implemented. Most non-profits still have a staff of employees and proper management is essential. Examples of non-profits include your local government organisations (though I suppose many would argue this point), educational organisations (your public schools), and healthcare facilities. You will also find management needs in less traditional settings, such as your local college fraternity, within organised crime groups, or in your local church.

Keep in mind that proper management and leadership skills are a huge part of everyday life almost everywhere you go, even in your own home. Start looking at the overall scope of management and you’ll begin to see how you can apply certain management principles to your everyday life in order to achieve your goals!

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Managing a customer service team can be an interesting task. Unless you’re recording phone calls or listening in on conversations there is really no way of knowing if your team members are doing the job they’re supposed to be.

Ask yourself this question: How do you know that your clients receiving the best customer care possible?

Not knowing puts you in a bad position. If your clients are unhappy you might not find out until they’ve taken their business elsewhere. So what can you do to change this?

Hire Secret Shoppers

As silly as this may sound the concept is legitimate. You can hire a marketing research company to conduct a survey of your customer service abilities. These people will pose as customers, both average and difficult, and put your customer service team to the test. They’ll then report back and let you know what their experiences were, whether they were over the phone or in person.

Survey Your Customers

This can be done in a number of ways. You can send a postcard, email, or letter asking your clients to respond. As a manager, you might even pick up the phone and make a call to your larger clients, letting them know that you just wanted to check in and make sure their needs are being met. Most clients will open up and speak honestly if they know they are speaking to someone in an authoritative position.

Implement Technology

Technological solutions, such as call recording or running computer reports, will give you the ability to tack what your employees are doing regularly. To those who think that amounts to snooping – think again. Your client files are public record and, if your employees jobs are to keep your customers happy you have the right to make sure they’re doing their jobs.

Don’t be afraid to step up to the plate and evaluate your entire customer service team. They’re the forefront of your organisation and need to be acting as such. Taking action now will ensure your customers are always happy, and happy customers are usually very loyal!

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Today’s management model is relatively simple compared to some of the others. The product S-curve describes the path a new product takes when it hits the market. In other words, it’s the sales life cycle of the product. Here’s how it works.

A new product hits the market. It took a lot of time and money to create, so the introductory price is pretty high. In most cases the product will be purchased by those in the high end of the middle and upper-class income levels.

After time the price of the product will drop, at which point it becomes more accessible to a larger market, like the average middle-income and even some low-income households. Not long after, everyone will have this new product and the sales will drop off again.

The entire process, if outlined, really looks like a flattened “S”.

A manager with foresight recognises that the market is on its way to satiation. At that point you should be prepared to either launch an “improved” version of the product or something completely new.

Market satiation, of course, is a lovely goal but isn’t always realistic. It depends on the product you are selling and how much people need (or believe they need) it. The question really becomes whether or not you are prepared to move forward once your product sales hit the latter part of the curve.

Do you have a plan?

Thanks again,

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Managing a sales team is a unique task. The job performance of a salesperson is measured much differently than the rest of your office staff, and those on your team may be feeling a different type of pressure due to their pending quotas and goals.

There are five things most salesmen do not do, however, that hold them back from making sales. Incorporate these 5 tips into your management training sessions and you’ll quickly begin to see improvements.

Be Prepared

You should know what your prospect needs before he does. Salespeople tend to ask their clients how they can help, when in reality they should have done enough research to understand this already. Research is key in preparation.

Create a Presentation

No presentation = no sale. Don’t assume, ever, that your client or prospect knows a lot about your product or service. Most will be afraid to tell you if they don’t and certainly won’t want to purchase from you if they don’t understand. Better to give too much information than too little. I hignly recommend conducting separate sales presentation training sessions to foster this essential skill.

It’s Not Personal

Yes, building relationships with your clients is important. No, you do not need to talk about the weather, your kids, or sports every single time you call. It takes time to form a great relationship with a client, but it doesn’t need to be a tedious task. Keep your phone calls polite and friendly but professional at all times.

Listen

One of the first sales meetings I attended left me horrified. I was shadowing another salesperson and he spent more time talking about his past history than he did listening to and addressing his clients concerns. Learn to shut your mouth and let your prospects talk. You’ll learn more than you think.

Don’t Abandon Your Customers

Yes, hitting your sales goals is important, but that task will only become more difficult if you neglect your current clients. Make sure you’re providing them with great customer service and they’ll remain loyal clients for a long time.

Make sure your sales team keeps these things in mind as they move forward with their current and new prospects. They’ll have happier customers, gain more referrals, make more sales and, ultimately, be easier to work with!

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

Change management is a hot topic, especially with today’s changing economy. As managers we are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to handle change while communicating with our employees. Of course, we have to understand change ourselves, and one of the best ways to expand our views is by taking a close look at the Change Management Iceberg.

Created by Wilfried Kruger, the Change Management Iceberg encourages managers to begin looking at the entire picture. Most managers focus more on the tip of the iceberg, or what we can see above the surface, while forgetting that most icebergs extend below the surface as well.

At the tip of the iceberg sits “issue management,” or issues pertaining to cost, quality, and time. Below the surface are two additional categories to consider, including they way we manage perceptions and beliefs as well as power and politics management.

Before you can manage the reactions or issues arising from either of those two categories you must remember that change impacts people on every level of the organisation. Those people generally divide themselves into four distinct categories:

• Promoters, or those who support the change;
• Potential promoters, will likely support you but may not be convinced yet;
• Opponents, are verbally against the change;
• Hidden opponents, appear to support change but secretly despise it.

Remembering that there are different categories of people with different belief systems involved in change will help you to better handle their objectives and work towards a positive outcome. Failure to recognize that there are people who are bound to have positive and negative reactions will only result in disaster.

Are you prepared to handle change? Can you identify those in your workgroup and how they might align themselves?

Thanks again,

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”