The other day, Becky Smith asked me to comment on sales process software (and enabling technologies). Generally speaking, sales process technology is necessary...
Becky, This is my first post, so please bear with me. The reason I have been motivated to post is that CRMs are a bit of a pet of mine. We have recently (2...
On this list, we've canvassed -- in some detail -- the invalidity of a focus on brand equity. My primary concern with the business community's obsession with ...
This is an interesting (and important) perspective. I was recently in a 'solution selling' workshop, where the speaker made the point that trying to sell a...
Mike Smith
MikeS@...
Aug 11, 2005 7:51 am
78
Whose responsibility, I wonder, is client retention? Most organisations believe it's the salesperson's. Consequently, many salespeople spend a...
There's a simple reason why it's all but impossible to extricate salespeople from the production process (particularly in a make-to-order environment). And...
A little while ago there was a post about A/B/C classification of clients. We actually clasify our opportunities by A/B/C; "A" being the opportunity that has...
I think that what you say is absolutely right; no arguement from me. Of course when I analyse this I do it in terms of a services business which is what I run....
Hi Kim I'll respond to your posts tomorrow. Just got back today from a couple of weeks (working) in Silicon Valley (which is why I've been posting a little...
Kim, I can see why you consider recruitment a service, in that I expect you maintain a candidate database, and perform various screening and suitability...
Mike Smith
MikeS@...
Sep 8, 2005 10:38 pm
84
Kim Generally speaking, I don't like A/B/C classifications because: 1. They are categorical, not incremental. If you are trying to solve a scheduling problem...
Kim You ask: I would ask, what systems/processes (if any) would you have in place to ensure that the "production person" doesn't become a quasi sales person...
Hello Justin, I was just wondering if you could help me a bit. As you may know, I work with two other partners offering consulting in TOC. We are recent...
Hmm, I'll take on board the classification comment. Yes, the more interesting question on client or candidate queue has been a long standing question in my...
I think it's important to identify one process as a sales sub-process, and the other as a supply sub-process. The two unite to define the overall process of...
Mike Smith
MikeS@...
Sep 10, 2005 5:30 am
90
Thanks Justin, as you say, I have read both. The thing is: we don't have an active sales function right now. I work with two other colleagues in TOC...
Hi Kim, I am sure that your business requires both processes. The question that I have for you is which, if either, is the constraint in your business at this...
Kim Mike and Karl are correct. Both processes are necessary; but one should be subordinated to the other. I agree that clients should probably be treated as...
Santiago, I think Justin makes it quite clear in his writing: opportunities are generated by creating relationships (making friends!). How you create those...
Karl, I am not sure if we want the constraint to move all the time....as there are some negative consequences of this happening. It is better if we decide...
Mike, Karl, Justin, Thanks for the thoughts. You have validated everything I have been thinking. To answer your question, I am still clear in my mind that ...
Okay Santiago I understand that it can be hard to figure out where to start. What you need -- to get the ball rolling -- is a manifesto. A book/whitepaper or...
Thanks for your comments Kim. I didn't cheat like Justin but find the application of TOC to the recruitment process interesting. I have not found a great...
Hi Karl We have a lot of experience in that industry - but I haven't written any papers (nor am I aware of any from the TOC space). It's a contentious issue,...
Hi Kim, No problem. Remember that the constraint is usually something that you have less choice about i.e. it's a constraint because it's expensive to elevate,...
Mike Smith
MikeS@...
Sep 12, 2005 8:23 am
101
Thanks Mark, Justin. Yes, it could be interesting to find a TOC manifesto with permission from an author. I think there is a great one out there, and it is...
Justin writes: (you want commercial relationships, not friendships, btw) true, but don't commercial relationships start with friendships (even if they are...
Several years ago, when I was with AGI, we did just that - chapter 4 of The Goal was printed and we sent out mass mailings. Results were good at first, but...
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