Tag Archives: Change

Sales planning — Visualization?

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Sales planning — Visualization?

I am a salesperson. I have been associated with selling most of my life. My dad was a commission man. I was intrigued with what he did. I traveled with him and observed the ups and downs of selling.

When time to choose a career, I rejected sales. I decided to go to engineering school and get my BSME – Bachelor of science mechanical engineering. Then figuring I didn't have enough business education from engineering I went after and received an MBA.

I went through several engineering jobs and finally ended up in inside sales, quotations, warranty — sales support but not direct selling.

One day in the early 80's business was slowing down and my boss came in and said he wanted me to go on the road and sell and bring in business. I told him emphatically I did not want to be a direct salesperson. He told me to go home and tell my wife I no longer had a job. I decided right then and there that selling was exactly the career path I wanted to be in.

I asked for sales training and was told no. I bought and read every book and article on selling I could find. I was successful (The definition of success at that time was selling enough product to fill the plant and I was asked in September to stop until next year.)

So even though I have had many roles in business, I have stayed the course as sales and selling my real career path. I have hired and trained many sales people over the years. I subscribe to the “Sandler Selling System” and work with Acuity Systems Inc. here in Dallas.

I have a proven system for tracking behaviors and a cookbook for tracking. Over the years I have always wanted a good visual program to look at and review my sales year. I'm about to come out with an excel spreadsheet and white paper, that outlines an entire year. I will be able to plan each month, day and week for the year, look at and review it everyday.

The problem with this for typical sales people will be discipline of doing the daily behaviors and committing to the grind.

Thoughts and comments welcome.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Sales planning — Visualization?

 

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”.

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!