Implementation – Boosted by all, Served by Some.
As an Implementation company, we are often compared to a training, advisory or strategic firm and we smilingly show our approach and try to clear the difference. On a recent tour with one of our Surat based textile garment manufacturing company client to increase his sales, I got deep insights that why implementation is extremely difficult and a blue ocean space because it is person centric service.
This blog is not a self appraised piece of article boosting that what a wonderful job we have done but it’s actually an insight that if someone wants to implement strategies for client or self, what things should he/she work upon.
In our latest business trip to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, the goals were :
- Explore market at primary, secondary and tertiary level. Understand the competition and market expectations.
- Create new Distributors and retailers; show new range of collection and try getting 1st order.
- Meet Existing retailers and learn their expectations from client.
- Meet lost clients and try to win them back.
As a consultant, the usual approach is always to draw a plan on a piece of paper, hand it over to the client and ask them to implement. The question is, who are we relying on? The client – who has already misjudged the market and hence he has appointed us to give him growth OR the client’s team – who has of course not performed in the desired manner, hence the company lacks growth. The onus is of implementation partners; hence from creating the tour plan to analysing the data, creating action points and travelling along with client is a hand-holding approach to ensure that we deliver and take feedback from our own experiences only which undeniably is the best source.
During our tour we were given a mix of warm hospitality to cold shoulders by some. If you ask me, there is nothing wrong in receiving a cold response because everyday, there are a number of people like my client or his staff who comes to show their samples. So,Why would he treat us any differently? Or how are we different from others? Well, the answer lies in “creating relationships”. When we met, our said intentions were not to speak about us but to listen to them. This changes the game completely because if a context setting is created between two strangers, our half the battle is won. When we said that we have heard about them and simply wanted to come and meet in person, they were expressive, interested to talk and even shared their challenges in industry. We sold our solutions and not products hence the discussions were inclusive.
Throughout the trip, there was never a moment of client-consultant relationship but a partner feeling between both of us because all we discussed was How can we make this company bigger? How can we overcome the challenges in a shorter time? How can we make our clients happy?
During implementation a consultant is supposed to keep aside is his “EGO”. Over the time when people start seeking our advice, we think ourselves as a holy shrine who knows it all, hence the tendency to speak increases, learn goes low and adaptability in debris. Throughout the journey I gained multiple insights on client’s business as well as on the implementation front.
For Client’s business
- Being in contact with your customer is the key strategy forever.
- Don’t take customers for granted. Someone else will take them away if you stop pushing.
- Keep yourself updated by regularly going to market and meeting people consciously.
- Communication & Relationship is the key to business especially in sales.
- You are under a notion that you are the best in quality and price.
- Customer knows everything from where do you source to what is your profit margin due to open market. The only reason he is not entering into your business is because the comfort he is enjoying. So, don’t try to exploit customers and try to give more than promised.
- Don’t strike business in 1st deal, the world is full of pushy salesman. Create Relationships, it works for longer run.
For Implementation Consultant
- Advisors play a short term easy role where as true game lies in implementation. Choose it wisely
- Sweat along with client; it will give results in the long run.
- Keep aside your existing knowledge and learn more on field.
- Plans look awesome in excel but in true life only an on field implementation will give result.
- Work for extended hours and make the best out of your implementation time. Keep your client as well as on Toes.
- Create empathy with client. His saving is your saving too hence spend intelligently for the benefit of the company and not your comfort.
- From luggage to business worries, share load everywhere. This will convert you from service providers to partners.
In a nutshell, all I can say is Implementation is a key and really an under appreciated word because its boosted by all but tried by some hence let’s keep working and create successful businesses for clients by implementing diligently, persistently and smartly.
For more info about Stratefix and its services, feel free to reach out at +91-9724176906 or visit us at www.stratefix.com
