As most of our clients sell their products through distribution, it comes as no surprise we are called upon to help push product in to these channels, and pull it through via end-user marketing. 

Product managers and their direct salespeople have become increasingly occupied with new product introductions and have been forced to focus a greater portion of their time on higher margin brands.  As such, many other products suffer from lack of support or attention, and manufacturers have to rely more and more on distributor sales reps for incremental and ongoing sales.  (more…)

Dean LePoidevin | Post a Comment

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I am a firm believer that “analysis paralysis” must be avoided. Obviously a reasonably educated decision made now is going to be better than the decision that never gets made, because “we just need more input.” That said, many marketers and business people in general have gone way too far the other direction. More value seems to being put on speed these days versus taking a little extra time to do the job well. For example, we hear the following comments a lot:

• Get it done quickly.
• I need an e-mail response now.
• Just throw a couple of PowerPoint slides together.
• What do you mean it took 6 hours to do that? (more…)

Judson Luke | Post a Comment

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One of our partners in the publishing industry recently told me that with the way the economy has been (and continues to be) everyone has had to find places to cut. “It’s just a fact,” and he went on to say, “the trick is knowing how to cut smartly.” Some organizations have done just that – they’ve identified areas that their customers could do without.  These are the things they could cut without hurting their relationships with their customers. 

It seems during this recession many companies have chosen one of the single worst areas to cut: customer service. For example, my local grocery store, part of a large chain, rarely staffs their customer service desk around the lunch hour. It’s annoying if you want to buy stamps or have to return something. How many lost lottery ticket sales to you figure that represents a day? (more…)

Judson Luke | Post a Comment

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Ah, customer service.  It’s the thing that every customer comes to adore or despise about everything from the grocery store to the dog groomer.  And it’s a little like how Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart defined obscenity:  I know it when I see it. 

Or, as the case may be, I know it when it’s done poorly. (more…)

Steve Wilcox | Post a Comment

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It may be a little thing to some – or a source of major concern to others – but getting snubbed by a prospective business associate is a cause of increasing concern.  Many, if not all of us have fallen victim to the snub in one form or another, be it a lack of response to a phone conversation, voice message or e-mailed proposal (the “e-snub”) or mailed letter, the absence of a timely professional response is truly at an alarming level in corporations and small businesses.  (more…)

Dean LePoidevin | Post a Comment

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Throughout our day, we have interactions with various companies or brands. Most of the time, it’s so routine that we may not even think about it – whether it’s pumping gas, grabbing a bite to eat, running an errand or getting a cup of coffee. And when something positive happens, you can’t help but to re-evaluate that experience and be refreshed when you think a company has gone above and beyond to make your day. That’s exactly what I experienced the other day. (more…)

Karen Enriquez-Wagner | Post a Comment

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