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Use these steps to avoid CRM implementation failure
A strong Client Relationship Management program (CRM) can be a major asset for your organization’s revenue generation engine. But… effective CRM implementation is OFTEN TRICKY and more often than not, it fails. Time and money is lost and frustration and blame leads to misery. There is a right and wrong way to implement CRM. Very…
Read MoreHow to Improve Client Relationships Just by Listening
We are in a technical business employing a lot of technical people who deliver services. Usually, it is a very small number who contribute directly to bringing in new business. How much business would your firm have if every single employee had direct involvement in landing new and interesting projects? You probably just thought, “Way…
Read MoreMust use simple tool to develop and grow your business!
In a recent podcast produced by Matt Handal, author of Proposal Secrets, titled Growing A/E/C Firms with Doug Reed, I share how a unique approach centered around an accounting mechanism (the timesheet) that most of our firms use, will help firms grow even during the most challenging economy. I know because I was a consulting engineering firm…
Read MoreI am 95% billable and I generate business for my company
Many professional service firms’ CEOs and managers are convinced that time spent on overhead activities detracts from the revenue of the company by lowering billability. This is one of the largest misconceptions I have seen. In both my corporate experience and with clients I applied a technique that maintained high billability and generated sales, even…
Read MoreCreating change is a top-down imperative
Those who control person’s job status, salary and recognition within the firm have ultimate control. Does this mean a CEO can order change to occur? My observations are consistent with organizational behavior theory. The answer is no, at least in the professional environment where I spent over 35 years of my career. What I have…
Read MoreProfessional services industry trends and solutions
The industry sales model is changing. It is moving solidly to a seller-doer model and away from having dedicated sales responsible staff. The SMPS Foundation conducted and published a research report in 2013 called A/E/C BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – The Decade Ahead that supports this. In the last ten years, twenty one-percent of SMPS member firms…
Read MoreTechnical staff has what it takes to win clients
This is a quick note with thanks for the fortune of a valuable lesson that impacted my career. The following is my story. This may remind you of a similar experience. Now is a good time to thank those who helped shape your career and to think about how you might help someone by challenging…
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