Customer satisfaction!

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Have you ever made one or more of your customers mad and didn’t even know it. Consider the following:

What is one of the worst things you can do to a customer — Cause opportunity for an RMA – Returned Material Authorization — something is wrong and the customer is not happy!

An RMA is the black mark of black marks.

I started my career of customer service in the world of RMA and Warranty.

It can be one of the most frustrating things you can do to a customer.

1.     The product was bought to use not send back.

2.     On-time, instant gratification, great product — gone.

3.     There is a tremendous need for a system, procedures, and people to handle the returns. 

4.     Both Sides are MAD – Customer returning product and the supplier trying to handle non-routine work.

From experience of owning a company I have witnessed the process of people in the organization knowingly shipping product, that was bad, to make the monthly numbers. 

When I discovered this several people were immediately removed from my organization. 

BUT

As I stopped and reflected on what happened, I decided I was probably part or all of the cause. 

I stopped cold — all managers were summoned and we decided this needed correction. Aanother moment of getting the Lean Journey started and not really being aware of it. The underlying cause was bad operating systems. We did not have good repeatable processes to ship material.

So began the journey. We did get better and improve. We began the real “Lean Journey”

I was amazed at the rate we lowered RMA’s at our company! — and — our growth took off.

 

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Comments welcome!

 

AS9100d – Aerospace Quality Management System / Lean Manufacturing!

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Have you ever thought about the “Lean Journey” and the process of having AS9100d – Aerospace Quality Management System?

I believe that obtaining the certification of AS9100d is a tremendous accomplishment for a small company.  As the required standards are reviewed and met you can find many parallels within and complimentary to “Lean Manufacturing”.

The basis of AS9100 accommodates and describes less waste, improved efficiency, less rejects, improved on-time delivery and standard processes and procedures.

In my previous company I believed in, recommended and achieved AS9100 certification.  Then about 10 years ago I really began to think through and build our company around lean manufacturing techniques. 

We recognized tremendous improvements — in all areas of our company!

I believe this is the way to go in the Aerospace Supplier Environment.  Too many times I’ve heard company presidents and owners say they couldn’t or wouldn’t get the AS9100 certification.  Too hard, Too much paperwork, my systems won’t accommodate the certification — Blah, Blah, Blah.

I am now affiliated with an Aerospace Machining and Fabrication company.  We have achieved AS9100d certification — We are expanding and growing with more “Lean Manufacturing Principles”.

Build a profitable business / make it grow!

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A business must be profitable and must grow!

Do the following and build a profitable company:

  1. Have a clear vision for your business.
  2. Decide exactly what business you are in.
  3. Decide exactly who the customers are.
  4. Find a competitive advantage.
  5. Take a long term view.
  6. Focus on key profit areas.
  7. Set and monitor clear performance targets.
  8. Develop an obsession with customer service.
  9. Teach, train and develop your people.
  10. Provide outstanding quality, performance and service.

What else would you add to the list?  Let me know — Comments welcome.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Proven – Sales/Selling system!

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I like the phrase “IF I can do it, anyone can do it.”

Many of us learn there are many things in life that are proven. It’s proven that many of us can learn to ride a bike. It’s proven that many of us can learn to speak in-front of others. It’s proven that most of us learn to talk. It’s proven …(for many, many things we can think of!). We all know that most proven things in life are taken for granted.

Why is it so hard for sales and non-sales people to believe there are proven sales systems that work.

Many people sales and non-sales people, think, act and talk about the mystique of selling. This often misconstrued belief of sales and selling leads to belief that sales is magic, a given to a few gifted people. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I’ve talked and written many times about the two proven items of sales and selling.

  1. Good sales training and continued coaching can produce quality sales people.
  2. A selling system or cookbook, followed daily can and will produce results.

Get the books, get the training, build a cookbook and see tremendous results.

Make 2018 your best year yet.

Want more information on cookbooks for selling let me know. Want more information on great sales training and system look up Sandler Selling.

 

Mentors!

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A mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor. Sometimes we have face-to-face mentors and mentoring. Sometimes we have indirect mentoring through reading books, watching videos, on-line, and possibly in passing with family and friends.

Not knowing it at the time, my dad was my first mentor in sales training. This is one of those things I realized later in life that the mentoring I received was tremendous. My sales career, once started, was greatly influenced by his methods and persistence in sales.

I read all kinds of books. Some novels for enjoyment. Self help books and many books related to sales, selling, running and operating a business.

However, I knew that there was a lot more to learn about sales and business operations. I studied and read many mentors. Zig Ziglar, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Jim Rohn, Earl Nightingale. Dr. Robert Schuller to name a just few. There are countless others in my library. I have had privilege to meet some of these people and have enjoyed reading and learning about their thoughts and ideas on life and business.

Do you have a mentoring program on-going for daily learning. There is so much material available today, it can be mind-boggling.

Start or really get going on a self-education program of your personal interests. I have created daily routines, daily rituals that ensure pathways for me to progress forward. I set goals and measure daily. You can too.  Find a mentor and never stop learning.

Let me know your thoughts.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

 

Organized Chaos!

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I wrote about our move almost a year and a half ago.

Over the course of 8 working days we moved the office and machinery from 18,000 SqFt to 22,500 SqFt, with more expansion room available. The company is in a larger more modern facility, one building versus two.

We ran customer jobs right up until power was cut and the machines were moved out. From a delivery standpoint only one order went late. We opened Monday with our most critical machines operating.

The fundamentals of 5s and Lean begin. The shop is now set up for better more efficient operation. Is it perfect? No! When jumping on the “Continuous Improvement” train, it is never ending. We will be moving and tweaking forever.

We are looking forward to shaping our destiny and becoming a better company to operate, a better place to work, and a better supplier for our customers.

Then we were in “Organized Chaos” mode. Now we are better — still in somewhat “Organized Chaos” mode. Getting better every day!

Make 2018 your best year yet!

 

Customer contact and follow-up!

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Ask a sales person –

“When is the best time to follow-up with XYZ customer?”

“When is the best time to follow-up on a recent quote?

All too often we hear, It’s too early, or I am not sure now is the right time, or I don’t want to bug the Buyer/Customer/Etc.

Have you ever taken the time to think about “Follow-Up” in selling? It is estimated that you need 7 contacts with potential clients/customers before a transaction happens.

I am self-taught in selling and when I found a really good system I latched on to it. I have studied and used the Sandler Selling system for many years. (I would be happy to provide my contacts to anyone interested.)

One great technique that I learned and use is the Sandler Technique of using an Up-Front Contract with potential customers.

 Simply ask the prospect/client for the next time contact would be appropriate. Set an exact date and time if possible or get at least a time frame for contact — Then do what was agreed upon!

Too many times I have had sales people working for me or trying to sell to me stop — after the very first call.

Never get caught in this trap — It’s too soon to call — “Oops” now it’s too late the order was let to someone else.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

 

AS9100d / Lean Manufacturing / Efficiency / Bottom Line!

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AS9100d / Lean Manufacturing / Efficiency / Bottom Line!

I was introduced to one of the latest quality systems of the time in 1997. The Boeing quality system. We passed in December 1997 and never looked back.

I have always embraced the latest quality system available for the company.

Last month our company passed and moved from AS9100c to AS9100d quality system.

10 years ago I was introduced to “Lean Manufacturing” and after a bit of non-belief from employees, I made “Lean Manufacturing” a permanent part of my organization. Now in a new company I plan to again go completely into “Lean Manufacturing”. It can be done in a job shop. It definitely worked in my last company.

Couple the efficiency gains of “Lean Manufacturing” with the really good principles of the quality system AS9100d and really good things happen to the organization and the bottom line.

You can end up doing a whole lot more with a whole lot less. Our previous company went from $4 million in yearly sales with 90 employees to producing $15 million in yearly sales with 91 employees.

This stuff works — But — only if top management believes and works through the processes of quality and “Lean Manufacturing”.

Sounds almost too good to be true. I lived it. It works. Let me know your thoughts, and/or, contact me with questions.

Remember it is time to get ready for 2018. Get ready to make 2018 your best year yet!

 

Make an appointment and get ready for 2018!

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Make an appointment and get ready for 2018!

I think about doing things and “sometimes” don’t get around to doing them. Actually, I have had to-do items on my list for years that I want to-do but never seem to complete, or get to.

Over the past years I finally found a way to get to those things that I feel are important. Make an appointment with myself. Write down a date and time and be ready to do nothing for that time period except work on the project or goal.

With the Holidays coming I am looking at and writing down time to think and work on “What 2018 will look like!”. I am making an appointment, actually several appointments with myself to dedicate time on working and setting my 2018 goals. I try to set these times at about 1-1/2 hours maximum.

Set your time and don’t miss it.

Try to think about and write down all things pertinent to having a successful 2018 year. YES, the first session will be messy. You will have random thoughts and non-organized thoughts.

BUT — you will have them written down. That’s way more than half the battle. You will be light-years ahead of others.

Then set your second session to go over and really think about the important items and organize these thoughts and have them ready to review as the year begins and moves forward.

Let me know your thoughts and how this works for you.

Good Luck!      Make 2018 your best year yet!

Sales goals 2018! Are you being held accountable? Do you want to be held accountable?

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Sales goals 2018! Are you being held accountable? Do you want to be held accountable?

Soon the next year 2018 goals will be set for sales!

As a salesperson are you ready to go get them? If you are setting high aspirations and goals for next year’s sales, are you being held accountable? Can you hold yourself accountable? Can you see the year through and complete your sales goals?

Unfortunately there are many sales people with very loose structure. The boss says go forth and bring home business, with no discussion of how much or what type. There is no discussion as to how the business is going to be brought in.

I do have an accountability group of various sales people wanting to figure out how to have accountability for their actions and report on how well, or not well they are doing.

Finding these type sales people is difficult. Most don’t want to report and have accountability. We have had our group for several months this year. A small group and already have seen drop off because recording behaviors and adhering to them is difficult.

The core group that we have believes in recording, reporting and discussing weekly sales efforts. AND, they are ready to talk about what went wrong, what went right, how much success they had and what they want to do to get better next week.

Not for faint of heart or excuse makers — we do now have 3 openings.

Are you ready to watch sales go to another level? Let me know.

I hope 2017 is ending as a great year. Get ready to make 2018 even better!