Sales Make it Happen

Key Receivers---

¦ Rule #1 - everyone in an organization is a salesperson.

¦ Rule #2 - not everyone believes rule number one.

¦ Rule #3 - everyone has customers.

The most successful, customer-centric organizations we encounter work hard to create a culture that champions all customers, including the company's employees - their "key receivers."

Managers in these organizations recognize that they oversee a volunteer workforce, and they realize that their success as managers depends, to a large degree, on their ability to persuade employees to work at fulfilling the company's mission.

We've noticed that these same managers faithfully follow their company's sales process when interacting with subordinates. The methodology they use in working with customers works as well when working with "key receivers."

We don't think it is an accident that companies that are satisfied with their implementation of highly complex CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems share a common approach to managing their employees.

Instead of simply announcing the arrival of new CRM software, managers solicited input from all affected business units during the project's planning phase, launched modules in stages to promote user adoption, and addressed the cultural shift issues that a major change in software often entails. In short, they approached their employees as customers of the new software system!

A willingness to accept the three rules that apply to all organizations today, and a commitment to treat everyone in the organization as a "customer," helps create a true customer-focused enterprise. In these organizations, providing excellent customer service be-comes the habit of the company's "key receivers."

--- from the desk of a retired, successful leasing company president.