Order-takers beware!

This is not a good economy if you're an order-taker. But, who really believes he or she is an order-taker?

Here are signs of being an order-taker:

You believe your company needs to sell its products or services for less

You see little to no difference between what your company offers and your competition

You feel your primary value to the customer is in the speed of your response

You have a greater fear of bothering the client than of not bringing them a fresh idea or approach

You spend one minute or more of your day rationalizing your lack of performance

You believe that your company just needs a new brochure or website and you'll sell more

You do not dare disagree with or offer an opposing view to what the client asks for

You do not inspire ideas of all kinds from your team because of the fear that the client will not like them

You can be an order-taking CEO or accountant or purchasing agent or artist or salesperson.

Order-takers come in all sizes, shapes, salaries and positions.

Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond
www.labov.com
www.labovsaleschannel.com

Unhappy client: familiar refrain

Our agency, LaBov and Beyond Marketing Communications, has never seen such new business activity as we're experiencing today. More existing and potential clients of all sizes are approaching us and engaging us in exciting new conversations. In some cases, we've added them to our roster. Why all the activity?

These prospective clients have all shared the same scenario: They have been working with a capable agency that has become complacent to the point of entitlement. The customer service level is mediocre at best; the work is fair, but hardly inspired. As we shared in an earlier post, these agencies are basically just order-takers.

Order-taking worked a lot better when the economy was robust. But when the amount of business activity declines, that exposes what a supplier is all about: do they just take business dropped in their lap or are they a real partner with clients and continue to serve them and proactively bring new ideas?

It's great when you are approached by prospective clients, but there's another issue to be concerned with: making sure you don't become complacent and entitled with your existing ones at the same time. You'll fall victim to the same refrain.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond
http://www.labov.com/

From Order-Taking to Order-Making

Companies are taking one of three responses to the current economy:
1) Lay-low
2) Business as usual
3) Order-Making

1) Lay-Low: There are plenty of companies that have given up and are in survival mode. They awkwardly smile when you ask how their business is. They've thrown in the towel and in hibernation, hoping to wake up to a better world in a few months.

2) Business as Usual: Other companies are moving along as if things are the same as ever. Those companies are the ones that all of a sudden will realize they're in denial and cut a third of their workforce all at once.

3) Order-Making: These are the opportunistic companies that respond to the recession for what it is making sure they have the right size workforce and operations while focusing on opportunities. These companies are in a positive cash position and have a huge advantage over their competition.

Big ideas and strong companies have been born in recessions and depressions--all from people that had the courageous and passion to fight the temptation to be in denial or in hiding.