Bellwether - A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

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BEL L W ETHER Top Ten Myths About Business Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Fourth Quarter 2010 Why Go MOBILE? By Alicia Anderson When Projects Fail By Alicia Anderson Is There A Recipe for Building Great Customer Relationships? By David VanToor By Ed Kless www.bellwethermagazine.com

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Bellwether, a Blytheco magazine, offers a wide range of stories, interviews, how-tos and information for business leaders. This quarterly publication keeps you up to date on business trends, work-life issues, and the latest tips for making your business and your life better. This is not the final electronic version.

Transcript of Bellwether - A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

Page 1: Bellwether - A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

BELLWETHERTop Ten Myths About Business

Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Fourth Quarter 2010

Why GoMOBILE?

By Alicia Anderson

When Projects FailBy Alicia Anderson

Is There A Recipe for BuildingGreat Customer Relationships?

By David VanToor

By Ed Kless

www.be l lwet hermagaz ine . c om

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3bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership

Why GoMOBILE?

Is There a Recipe

for Building Great

Customer

Relationships?

12

14

se

ct

io

ns Letter from the Editor 4

Featured Article 6

Work | Life | Balance 7

Sales and Marketing 8

Industry News 10

Cover Story 12

Customer Relationships 14

State of the Economy 16

Leadership 18

Product Information 20

Human Resources 22

Book Report 23

About Business

Top 10 Myths

18

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Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 20104

LETTERFROMTHEEDITOR

BELLWETHERA Blytheco, LLC Magazine

Volume 1Fourth Quarter, 2010

www.blytheco.comwww.bellwethermagazine.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/blythecollcFacebook: www.facebook.com/blythecollcwww.blytheco.com/blog

STAFFEDITORApryl Hanson

CREATIVE DIRECTORGreg Went

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSAlicia AndersonDori FitchEd KlessDavid VanToor

ADVERTISING SALES / SUBSCRIPTIONSDori Fitchwww.bellwethermagazine.comOr contact Dori Fitch - (800) 425-9843, Extension [email protected]

Bellwether Magazine is published by Blytheco, LLC with principal offices at:23161 Mill Creek RoadSuite 200Laguna Hills, CA 92653

If you wish to be removed from the mailing list or to add names to the mailing list, send your request, including name, business name, and mailing address to the above address or to [email protected]

This is a copyrighted publication and all articles herein are covered by this copyright. Any use of the content for commercial reasons or other form or reproduction of material herein is strictly prohibited without prior, written approval of Bellwether Magazine.

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Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 20106

What would you do if your company was losing profitability? With the economic changes we

have seen in the past few years, many business leaders are watching the bottom line more closely, and seeking strategies to propel them out of the doldrums and into successful performance.

Organizational change begins with creativity. As a leader, you have to tap into your creative power to find innovative solutions to the problems you face. Accessing the creativity that we all possess requires that we approach challenges without anxiety and with the desire to learn, change and grow.

Kenneth Williams, CEO of The Shred Authority, won the Rising Entrepreneur of the Year award at a recent Kellogg School of Managment Alumni conference. The Shred Authority, a document destruction company based in Chicago, underwent a complete turnaround after Williams purchased the company in 2005.

Among the strategies Williams used to turn the company around were: a branding campaign focused on the new mission and leadership of the company, a renewed commitment to quality customer service, and a structured financial plan that emphasized measuring progress.

We asked Williams a few questions about his creative approach to his company’s turnaround:

FEATUREDARTICLE

How did you get involved with The Shred Authority?

I had been working with companies like Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and Citigroup, using my entrepreneurial skills to help them develop new businesses and save money. I met a guy from Chicago on a plane to Dallas – he had a shredding business and was interested in a partner to help him out. We became friends, and two weeks later I was in Chicago meeting with his management team.

How does creativity fit in your business model?

Creativity is 90% of what we do. Each client we take on gets a completely custom approach to their business and we create processes just for them. We disregard the “rules” about how customers are treated and approach them like we are employees of their business. For example, one of our employees recognized that a customer had a piece of equipment onsite that they were no longer using – the customer was not aware of it. The employee had the equipment removed, saving the customer money. The customer was surprised that we would do this without being asked to, but that’s the way we operate.

During the transition, our employees were challenged by being empowered to create their own solutions – they had been used to being told what to do. Now, when our clients say “Jump,” they ask “How high?” They have a few foundational rules, but as long as they stay within them, they can do whatever they need to do to satisfy our clients.

What did you learn when transitioning your team?

I always second-guess myself on purpose now. For example, when we interview a new employee, I prefer to set up a “team interview” and have others join me, just in case I’m having a bad day or got up on the wrong side of the bed. Most of the time, the team just confirms my instincts about the person, but I don’t want to take the chance of misjudging someone.

How do you manage personal anxieties about your strategies?

I guess I don’t give myself time to really think about it. I try to focus on one thing at a time – in my case, I prefer to look at the trees instead of the forest when tackling everyday challenges.

I also prepare for every possibility and manage risk, which minimizes the anxieties brought about by “surprises” in my business. I find our weakest links and prepare against them. And I don’t take it personally. Recently, one of our subcontractors left to start his own business. People asked me “Aren’t you mad he did that?” – of course I’m not mad, I’m happy for the guy! I know it’s not a personal affront to me. And, I was prepared for that to happen, so it’s no problem.

Q&A with kenneth williams

Turn-Around

by Alicia Anderson

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“Never regard study as a duty but as an enviable opportunity to learn to know the liberating influence of beauty in the realm of the spirit for your own personal joy and to the the profit of the community to which your later works belong.”

Albert Einstein, In the Princeton University freshman publication, ‘The Dink’, December 1933

A lot of people say they are life long learners, but what does that really mean? For the majority, I think it is an acknowledgement that they must spend their precious time here learning something new. But how far can we take that? Should we learn something new everyday? And who are the benefactors?

Being a leader often challenges us in unique ways. We struggle with questions like:

• How should I act?• How will I be perceived• Will others like me?• How do I motivate people to do what I need them to

do for us to be successful?

“What is most important here is your presence as a leader” says mentor, leadership expert and co-founder of Healing Leaders, Howard Hansen. Hansen coaches that the most important thing a leader can do is focus in on developing themselves and not worry about others.

Why would this help you? As so many people struggle with work life balance questions and leaderships challenges, we forget that the most important thing we can bring to any situation is a calm and rational self. When we are in this state of mind we can be creative to come up with solutions that

can help others get to a more creative and less anxious state.

The balance all begins with you.

WORKLIFEBALANCE

YOUR

“What is most important here is your presence as a leader.

by Apryl Hanson

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Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 20108

In the market we are in today, is the sales process any different than it was thirty years ago? Most

would say yes, but let’s compare to determine how things have really changed.

• Buyers Education Level – Most people would say that with our vast access to information, consumers today have a much higher education level than those who were purchasing 30 years ago. To some extent, for some of the population, I think we do have a more educated buyer but for the most part I think what we’ve created is a more confused shopper. With information overload and a lot of blogs with personal opinions, a consumer may not know which way is up. Tip: Educate your prospects based on their level of understanding of your subject. Get to know where they are in the process, how much research they’ve done, and what their understanding is before proceeding into the sales process.

• Price Sensitivity – I don’t think our current financial

situation has created more price sensitivity than there was thirty years

ago. What is creating the perceived price sensitivity is that the perception of value is more

scrutinized as word of mouth is more generalized. Word of mouth today is in customer case studies, tweets, video testimonials, blogs and so much more. People aren’t sure what marketing hype versus actual reality is. Tip: Establish a trusting win-win relationship with your prospect and you won’t have oversensitivity to price. If your prospect truly trusts you and your knowledge and experience they will gladly pay a fair price.

• Finding Appropriate Consumers – Because of the availability of information on the internet, it is easy to post lots of information and receive leads, but how many of these are quality? Thirty years ago we used word of mouth and direct mail pieces; neither were flooded contact methods so although prospects were fewer in number the quality was much higher. Now sales people have to go through a lot of leads in order to get

to the ones that are qualified. Tip: Find ways to categorize all of the prospects you receive into your business, and set up standard ways of communicating with them based on how they came to find you.

Some things are different today than they were 30 years ago, but the bottom line is to emerge with a plan to tackle these potential challenges and make them work for you.

If you have a sales challenge or a successful sales story you would like to share with us please do so at: [email protected] and we may include your information in our next edition.

ThisMarket

“I think we do have a more educated buyer but for the most part I think what we’ve created is a more confused shopper.

SALES&MARKETING

by Apryl Hanson

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Key provisions of the health reform legislation

passed by Congress in March, 2010 are

already beginning to kick in. We’re looking

at just a few of the ways businesses are already

seeing impacts of this law.

The Affordable Care Act offers a tax credit to small

businesses who pay at least half the cost of insurance

coverage for their staff in 2010. From 2010 to 2013,

the maximum credit is 35% of premium, and goes

to businesses with ten or fewer full-time employees

who pay average wages of $25,000 or less. The

credit decreases gradually as a company’s number

of full-time employees increases, and/or as average

wages increase. Starting in 2013, companies get

the credit for only the first two years for which they

provide coverage and must purchase the coverage

from a state exchange plan.

Starting in 2014, companies with 50 or more

employees that do not offer affordable “minimum

essential coverage” or pay at least 60% of coverage

costs for employees will be subject to a penalty if

a full-time employee buys insurance from a state

exchange plan. Individuals who do not maintain

health coverage will be subject to penalties starting

in 2014.

Business will also need to meet new reporting

requirements as a result of the legislation.

Beginning in 2011, the value of an employee’s

company-provided health care coverage will need

to be reported on W-2s. Insurance companies will

also be required to provide coverage information

to individuals and to the IRS, and the IRS will begin

notifying individuals who fail to enroll in the minimal

required coverage.

Visit the IRS website (www.irs.gov) or speak to your accountant to learn more about how this new law will continue to impact your business.

Health Care Reform Basics for Small Businesses

by Alicia Anderson

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Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 201010

“If your team has not defined the anticipated benefits of a new system, your project will suffer from lack of direction.

FAILWHEN PROJECTS FAIL

FAILINDUSTRYNEWS

While recent news about Marin

County, California’s decision to

scrap their $30 million SAP project

has deteriorated into filing lawsuits and finger-pointing, the

story still has lessons for those of us working on less visible,

less politically-charged projects.

Marin County had contracted with Deloitte Consulting to re-

place the local Civic Center’s pencil and paper accounting sys-

tem with SAP, but the project failed, and the county is now

suing Deloitte.

Analysis on Michael Krigsman’s “IT Project

Failures” blog on ZDNet (www.zdnet.com)

cites both “Marin’s apparent lack of organiza-

tional and governance maturity, and its inabil-

ity to absorb business transformation changes

associated with this implementation” AND

“Deloitte’s posturing and unwillingness to ac-

cept even partial responsibility” as reasons for

this undesirable result.

Two key lessons here are: the importance of

clear project expectations and the value of

participation of stakeholders.

In any business technology implementation,

both parties (customer and vendor) need to communicate and

document every expectation, from total project costs to func-

tionality provided. Unclear definition of functional needs and

expected results are two of the biggest mistakes companies

make in selected ERP systems and providers.

If your team has not defined the anticipated benefits of a new

system, your project will suffer from lack of direction. Keep in

mind, however, that no system can fix every business problem

overnight. Business challenges are often the result of years of

neglect or mismanagement, and it is important that realistic

objectives be set about the capabilities of any new software

system.

Successful projects must involve the right system users and

administrators. If customers don’t have the right people on

board, they should get them and get them involved BEFORE

launching a project. Business management software is no lon-

ger strictly an IT decision. Since ERP software can affect ev-

ery functional area of the business, systems decisions are now

strategic business decisions. Management must be involved,

as they serve as the visionaries and advocates for the project.

A committee or task force composed of key players may also

be assembled to provide guidance. Communication with the

staff throughout the project can keep employees engaged and

supportive of the project. Providing them periodic updates en-

sures that users feel invested in, and positive

about, the new system.

Krigsman, CEO of Asuret Inc., a Massachu-

setts consulting company dedicated to re-

ducing technology implementation failures,

writing on ZDNET has it right:

“Note to software vendors and system inte-

grators: A substantial number of your cus-

tomers, especially those who are smaller, only

purchase ERP once in many years; these folks

require more education than you typically

provide during the selling process. Situations

like this make clear that something is deeply

wrong with your approach to sales and consulting.

Note to enterprise buyers: There is no escaping that you are

ultimately responsible for the success or failure of your project.

That said, when you hire services vendors be sure the contract

includes provisions that connect cost and time to achieving

successful results. If your vendors don’t have skin in the game,

then go elsewhere.”

Read more about the top mistakes that companies make when

implementing new ERP systems, so you can avoid them in your

business. Email [email protected] for your copy of the

Blytheco whitepaper “Typical ERP Evaluation Mistakes: Pitfalls

to Avoid Before You Buy.”

by Alicia Anderson

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The New York Times recently featured several compa-

nies who found creative ways to keep giving through

hard times while cutting back on actual cash donations.

A moving company used its trucks to collect supplies for

the victims of Haiti’s earthquake; an IT company spon-

sored a golf tournament, helping a local charity and gain-

ing an opportunity to entertain clients at the golf outing.

Serving charities helps others, but it also boosts em-

ployee morale and can help businesses create valuable

relationships and increase visibility in their communities.

The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance offers sever-

al tips on how to maximize your company’s charitable giving:

• Check out the charitable organization - before giv-

ing, verify your target charity is a legitimate orga-

nization and be sure you are comfortable with how

they will use your donation. Use the Better Busi-

ness Bureau or Guidestar (www.guidestar.org) to

review charities’ history, leadership, and strategy.

• Get creative – Evaluate alternatives to cash donations. Can

your company offer its services to a charity at no charge,

or would you be willing to offer employees a day off dur-

ing which they would work for a non-profit organization?

• Take the tax break - talk with your accountant

about taking the tax deduction allowed when

donating to a charity with 501(c)(3) IRS status.

• Plan it out - with so many worthy causes and reputable

charities needing help, it may be hard to choose how

best to use your limited resources. Put some standards in

place about what’s important to your company. Having a

plan for focused, directed giving helps your budget and

means you make more of an impact with your donations.

• Get employees involved. Solicit feedback from your

staff about what causes are meaningful to them,

and brainstorm about ways they can help. Maybe

they are willing to sacrifice the annual holiday party

in favor of a donation of cash or services to a charity.

Supporting communities has always been part of Blytheco’s

culture - for years Blytheco teams have worked with groups

like the American Cancer Society and others to raise money

and awareness for important causes.

To commemorate Blytheco’s 30th Anniversary, the com-

pany has integrated community support into our re-

cent “1,000 Hours” initiative, while also creating a spir-

it of the “rising tide” that lifts all our business boats.

The goal of 1,000 Hours is to create $1,000,000 worth of

measurable results in clients’ businesses with free consult-

ing work, and to generate $100,000 in donations from the

business community to selected charities from those com-

panies who receive free consulting. Here’s how it works:

• Companies apply for 8 hours of free consult-

ing service, with a specific project in mind that

will provide a measurable ROI to their business.

• Applicants agree to donate to one of Blytheco’s select-

ed charities, choosing from the American Cancer Soci-

ety, Liga International – the Flying Doctors of Mercy, or

the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Getting creative with your organization’s charitable giving

plan can help you maximize the value of your donation, re-

energize your team, and create valuable relationships in your

community. If your company has found a creative way to give

back, let us know! Maybe we’ll spotlight your company in

the next issue.

There’s no doubt the nationwide recession has made a serious impact on corporate

giving. With layoffs, reduced sales, and increasing costs of operation, many small

businesses have been forced to reduce or eliminate charitable contributions from

their budgets. A Giving USA Foundation study from 2008 noted that corporate giving

decreased by 4.5% in 2008 and the slump continues as the economy struggles to find its

feet.

INDUSTRYNEWS Small Businesses Get Creative and Find Ways to Give

by Alicia Anderson

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Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 201012

So you can’t keep your hands off your Blackberry, even after work hours, and it seems like everyone

on the street is texting. It’s clear that mobile tech-nology is making a huge impact on the way we live. Because of the fragmentation of the mobile market

(which continues to drive low pricing for phones and service), and the expanding presence of wireless ac-cess, we are online more than ever.

Who is using mobile technology, and why?

Consumers have adopted mobility en masse as a way

to keep up with the flood of information they receive

daily. A Pew research study from May 2010 shows that

40 percent of Americans use mobile devices for email,

the web, or texting – an increase of 8 percent over 2009.

They rely on smart phones to keep up with friends, fam-

ily, and businesses, and vendors are racing to create

mobile applications to keep their companies at a cus-

tomer’s fingertips.

About eleven percent of the Pew study respondents have

purchased a product using their phone. Mobile commerce

is driving and responding to this demand, and the ability to

make payments using only the phone will likely soon make credit

cards obsolete for many consumers.

Businesses are also using mobile technology to interact with other busi-

nesses. The ability to use email and the internet while on the road has

enabled business people to remain productive away from the office.

COVERSTORY Why GoMOBILE?

by Alicia Anderson

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13bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership

They can work on documents, correspond, and sched-

ule appointments with only their phone. Business appli-

cations that allow for more sophisticated work are im-

proving productivity even more, while blurring the line

between “work day” and “personal time.”

When thinking about a mobile strategy for your B2B company, consider:

Your employees:What do they need to be produc-

tive while traveling or working from

home? Salespeople should have the

ability to check customer contact in-

formation and order status so they

can manage their time effectively.

Mapping tools and inventory insights

are a bonus for the “road warriors” in

your company. Executives and man-

agers need dashboard and reporting

capabilities so they can make deci-

sions quickly while on the road. Look for reliable mobile

business tools that look like what your team uses at the

office, to minimize the learning curve and encourage

user adoption.

Your customers:What types of mobile technologies would your customers

benefit from? At a minimum, your website should be

mobile-compliant, or have a mobile-friendly interface,

so customers trying to reach you from their phone have

a positive experience. Also think about “apps.” Could

your company create a mobile application that would

make it easier and more pleasant for mobile customers

to reach you? The level of customer satisfaction and

increase in sales these tools could provide could be

significant. These relatively inexpensive strategies are

a way for small to medium-sized businesses to level

the playing field, enabling them to look like a larger

company with an impressive mobile presence.

Your business:Mobile technology has significant positive implications

for businesses, but like any company initiative, your

mobility must be managed. Formulate a strategy for

setting up mobile infrastructure. Create a company

policy around mobile phones and negotiate with

vendors for the best billing options. Consider the IT

Department’s needs; they should approach phones like

“mobile terminals,” and work to implement security

controls just like those used for in-office equipment.

And keep in mind - don’t let your

phone manage you. Look up once

in a while and take a breath. Getting

perspective on your life and your

work can energize and refresh you

more than another online check of

the headlines, and your positive

energy is one thing that still can’t be

delivered via text.

“At a minimum, your website should be mobile-compliant, or have a mobile-friendly interface

by Alicia Anderson

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Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 201014

This question was asked recently on an online discussion board I’m a member of, and as I thought about it more, answering it seemed to be a great way to begin my contributions to this

publication.

The discussions on the board covered the expected range of opinions including building trust, credibility and listening. Some contributors suggested there was no recipe - that every customer interaction is unique.

Personally, I believe there is a recipe, or at least a broad framework for building great relationships. But first, let’s be clear what question we are answering.

For the sake of brevity, I’m going to assume that most of us, when we see the phrase “Great Customer Relationships” infer a longer-term quality relationship which exists based on mutual benefit to both parties.

That being the case then, I’m going to discuss three key elements: caring, product and communication.

CaringNot a word you’re likely to find in the Goldman Sachs procedures manual, but the most basic element in creating a business based on relationships.

Do you actually care about your customers?

I think that most CEOs today would say “Yes.” I also think that most are not answering the question honestly. Or at least they are not answering accurately. They are confusing the question with “Do you care about your customer’s money?”

To actually care about your customers means that you are probably providing a product or service that you are actually passionate about. Sadly, that does not describe the majority of CEOs.

The reason this is critical is that caring, or empathy, or concern - or whatever synonym you use - is the foundation of meaningful human relationships. A relationship with a customer without caring may be profitable. It may meet some company objectives. It

may help you meet quota. But it is not going to be great.

Product or ServiceThe reason that a vendor to customer relationship exists is the product or service that is provided. Therefore the quality of that product or service is critical to the quality of the relationship. From a customer’s perspective, there is a simple definition of product quality.

Is There a Recipe

for Building Great

Customer

Relationships?

byDavid

van Toor

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15bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership

CUSTOMERRELATIONSHIPS

Does it solve the problem that I bought it for, without creating other problems I did not want?

If your product does not do this, then forget about building great customer relationships. If your product does not do this, then your relationship is based on deceit, at least in the mind of your customer.

Fix your product or service first. Solve your customer’s problems simply and effectively. Then you can move to building relationships.

CommunicationAs George Bernard Shaw once said, “The problem with communication is the illusion it has occurred.” Communication is often mistaken by corporations as informing. Relationships involve the mutual sharing of information.

Do you, in your business, provide as many ways for customers to meaningfully interact with your organization in ways they want to as you have for sending them information?

The key words in the above question are in ways they want to. Do they want to know your product direction? If so, then can they interact with your Product Marketing department?

Do they want to be able to talk with other customers? If so, what tools do you provide to allow that?

I’ve really only scratched the surface of creating Great Customer Relationships, and will continue this theme in other articles. If you agree or disagree with anything I’ve written hear, please let me know at [email protected]

David van Toor is the founder of No Plan B LLC, a business-to-business consulting firm specializing in the development and implementation of new processes that ensure the delivery of a profitable, and consistently unique, customer

experience. Prior to creating No Plan B, David spent over 15 years in executive leadership positions with public software companies in the US and overseas. Most recently, David served as Senior Vice President for Sage Software in which he led the development and execution of a succession of product lines, culminating in his role as General Manager of the ACT! and SalesLogix CRM Products.

A long-time evangelist of the customer experience, David is an advocate of using Web 2.0 technologies to create transparency of businesses to consumers, thereby opening the lines of communication between businesses and their customers. David has been commended by industry analysts for creating Sage Software's ACT! Online Community, which gave ACT! customers the opportunity to have direct access to Sage executives, while also allowing Sage executives a more dynamic view of the issues most important to their customers. Within its first twelve months of operation, the ACT! Online Community had over 8.9 million page-views and drove a 20-point increase in its customer loyalty scores.

Recognized by business industry leaders and analysts alike for his provocative and innovative leadership in the customer communications arena, David continues to develop new methods for businesses to strategically approach, and monetize, the Customer Experience.

“The problem with communication is the illusion it has occurred.

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Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 201016

STATEOFTHEECONOMY

News on the economy is a mixed bag this fall. Some indicators are turning positive while some still lag.

On the positive side, the performance of the stock market signals growth, companies like eBay and Caterpillar are providing strong earnings forecasts, and retail sales are up. However, the job market still shows little improvement. Credit is hard to come by for many, but it’s cheap for those who can qualify, with interest rates at historic lows.

An October, 2010 survey by the National Federation

of Independent Business (NFIB) showed a .2 point

gain in its Index of Small Business Optimism – still in

recession territory, with hiring, capital spending, and

sales numbers all declining in the previous three month

period. If the recession ended as of June, 2009 (as the

National Bureau of Economic Research stated), small

business owners have not all seen the light at the end of

the tunnel quite yet.

What are some key strategies for businesses navigating these murky waters?

1. Keep listening to your customers. The ability to quickly assess and adapt to customer needs is not going

away, and companies with this ability will thrive regardless of our economic environment.

2. Spend wisely. Don’t stop serving customers adequately. Just be prudent – find creative ways to cut costs

without impacting service quality.

3. Sell strategically. Determine what types of customers are most profitable for you, and acquire more of

them. Not all customers have the same value.

by Alicia Anderson

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17bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership

Have you been avoiding a social media strategy because

it seems overwhelming, or because you don’t think that it

will lead to positive results for your brand?

Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to take your brand

to the next level. Below are some tips to consider when

developing your strategy:

Who is responsible for social media strategy? One

assumption is that social media is everyone’s responsibility

in the company. While that may be true, if it doesn’t

have an owner, you won’t have a strategy. Find an owner

who is responsible for the overall strategy and can take

responsibility for getting participation from your executives

and employees.

Give your employees a voice

and empower them to use it.

Hold classes to teach employees

what types of social media avenues

are appropriate and what messages

you want to send. The Social Media

“owner” can engage employees to

respond to conversations based on their

expertise, knowledge and passion.

Understand who your experts and

influencers are. You should find a way to

document your internal expertise and even acquire certain

knowledge if needed. Also, find out who your influencers

are in your industry and find ways to engage and interact

with them socially.

Work with a tool that allows you to listen to

conversations about your key words. If you have key

words that you’ve identified for your website, find a

tool that helps you listen to the conversations that are

happening in social media around those key words.

This will help you find influencers. Resources like www.

tweetdeck.com or www.hubspot.com have great tools to

develop social media strategy.

As social media is gaining speed, many of us are left wondering how we are to navigate these waters when it comes to employees, clients and brand management. The social media experience is driven by each

individual, their opinion, and their relationships. So when it comes to brand management and relationships with your employees and clients, driving a social media strategy may seem a little like herding cats.

by Alicia Anderson

by Apryl Hanson

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Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 201018

1. Business is a zero-sum game. Oliver Stone makes

great movies, but he knows nothing about basic

economics. Free and fair exchanges create wealth

(value) on both sides. In other words, business is a

positive sum game (win-win).

2. Price is based on cost. Cost is but one factor

that truly great pricers take into account. Other

factors include: perceived value of the customer,

risk, timing, and scarcity. In fact, cost is the least

important of those mentioned

3. Excessive profits must be because the company

is doing something evil. First, just what is

excessive? Second, the truth is that profit is “an

index of your altruism,” as George Gilder says.

Profit indicates how well you focus your attention

on the needs of others, namely your customers and

potential customers.

4. Increasing market share leads to increased

profitability. Market share and profitability are not

related in any way, unless, of course, you have been

granted a monopoly by the government. If anything,

the reverse is true. If you are highly profitable, you

can create a strategy to increase your market share

should you so desire.

5. Focusing on efficiency makes your company

more effective. Wrong! Efficiency means doing

something right. Effectiveness means doing the

right thing. The former is always a measurement;

the latter is a judgment. A focus on efficiency kills

innovation because in the end the result is always

the same. A focus on effectiveness changes the

result.

6. Leadership is about changing others. While

leaders may inspire others to change, they can

While going through some old notes I found this list I had developed of

the top ten myths about business. Without further ado, they are:

About Business

Top 10 Myths

LEADERSHIP

by Ed Kless

Page 19: Bellwether - A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

19bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership

never change them without the other willingly

changing. There is a difference between accountability

and compliance. Accountability can never be imposed,

since by definition, it is a choice. I choose to be

accountable.

7. Strategy is about analyzing, planning, and doing.

Strategy is about creating, executing, and deciding

what are you going to say “no” to.

8. Business is science, and requires data to back

up decisions. While some

practitioners may claim

otherwise, business is a pseudo-

science. With few, if any,

testable hypotheses, business

fails in every way to classify as

a scientific endeavor. Reliance

on data has become a co-

dependent relationship for

most managers, similar to drug

or alcohol addiction.

9. The customer is always right.

Henry Ford said, “If I gave my

customers what they wanted, I

would have given them a faster horse.” Customers are

rarely innovative. Companies that try only satisfy the

wants of their customers will not innovate. Innovative

companies look at the needs of their customers or

prospects and ask, “How can we best fill that needs?”

In addition, some customers are a drain on your

organization. You are often better off without them.

10. Differentiation can be achieved by saying you are

customer focused. Unless you are truly world class

in service (think USAA and Ritz-

Carlton), you can’t differentiate

by saying to a prospect that

you care about your customers.

Why? Because so does everyone

else. Have you ever heard an

organization say we provide

crappy service to our customers?

“If I gave my customers what they wanted, I would have given them a faster horse. Henry Ford

Ed Kless joined Sage North America in July of 2003 and is the senior director

of partner development and strategy. He developed and delivers the

curriculum for the Sage Consulting Academy, a

five-day course designed to educate Sage Software

partners on the art and practice of small business

consulting. He also facilitates the Sage Leadership

Academy, a yearlong program designed to assist

Sage Software partners develop a continuous process of

improvement in their organizations and serves as liaison to the

Sage Leadership Academy Alumni Association.

Ed is a frequent contributor to industry publications, including the Journal of Accountancy and Harvard

Business Review, and has spoken at many conferences worldwide on project management, pricing, and

knowledge workers. He is active in the Information Technology Alliance (ITA), Toastmasters, and is a senior

fellow at the VeraSage Institute.

Follow him on his blog at www.edkless.com or on Twitter @edkless.

Page 20: Bellwether - A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 201020

As of January 31, 2011, FRx will no longer be available for purchase through Sage for Sage ERP MAS products.

Microsoft will no longer be providing any bug fixes for issues found within the FRx product, so Sage and Blytheco will only be able to support matters that involve the integration be-tween Sage MAS and FRx.

Sage ERP MAS Intelligence will be provided to customers using FRx as an alternative solution for Financial Reporting in response to Microsoft’s announcement to retire FRx. Sage is providing current on-plan FRx customers with an offer to transition their FRx licenses to Sage ERP MAS Intelligence. Customers will receive one free Intelligence Report Man-ager or an equivalent product mix depending on the FRx li-censes purchased in the past by the customer. For example, if customers purchased an additional FRx Professional De-signer license they will receive one Report Manager license and one Report Designer license.

Nonprofits Win with Online Fundraising Contest Blytheco non-profit clients - enter "Connect with Sage"! This online fundraising contest will award grants to six non-profit organizations. Entrants will be in two categories — smaller organizations and larger organizations — based on annual funds, and contest winners will be determined based

on the total amount raising using Sage Fundraising Online.The contest is open to any tax-exempt nonprofit in North America or registered Canadian charity. On Dec. 18, the top six organizations — three in each category — with the high-est total amount raised using Sage Fundraising Online will be deemed winners. The two grand prize winners will each receive $5,000 grants, with second prize receiving $1,000 and third prize receiving $500. Enter at http://www.connectwithsage.com

Sage ERP News – Intelligence Update

Effective January 31, 2011, there will be an important change regarding the FRx module developed by Microsoft and marketed and sold by Sage. As a result of Microsoft’s decision to retire FRx, the module will no longer be distributed with Sage ERP MAS products.

PRODUCTINFORMATION

by Alicia Anderson

Page 22: Bellwether - A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

Bellwether Magazine | Fourth Quarter 201022

Human Resources Trends for 2010

by Alicia Anderson

Donna Baeza, SPHR and Blytheco’s Director of HR and HR Business Solutions has been making the rounds, attending several important industry conferences this year.

Throughout this year we have noticed definite trends. Change in our economic climate and the challenges and opportunities that creates for employers continues to be a focus, including areas such as employee and leadership en-gagement and morale building in a down market. Social me-dia was another heavily focused area, ranging from policies and procedures, employee engage-ment, recruiting and everything in between. Global human re-sources as an emerging topic continues to advance on the scene.

Many individuals shared that their organizations were still run-ning very lean from a budget perspective. However, it was very encouraging to see that many more were actively look-ing to invest in their HR depart-ments with technology and other HR specific resources. Global human resources continued to be a theme even on the exposition floor with many individuals inquiring about global human resource information systems (HRIS). What was interesting was how many small and mid-sized busi-nesses were inquiring about multi-currency payroll and HRIS applications. This trend is rising year by year at conferences.

In the area of HR technology, we had three primary trends this year for the individuals that stopped by our exhibit. The first was a complete HRIS, the second was time and collec-tion that could interface into their current payroll applica-

tions and the third was performance management applica-tions. Blytheco was very excited to be able to demonstrate the Sage Abra solution with the recently released brand spanking new user interface! Sage has done an excellent job of updating the look, feel, navigation and functionality of Abra. Sage continues to build on that work with more enhancements due out before the end of 2010. We are en-tering very exciting times for Abra HRIS and the feedback

we are receiving is that our customers feel the same way.“we get to hear

feedback from hundreds of HR professionals around the world

Page 23: Bellwether - A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

23

by Alicia Anderson

bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership

BOOKREPORT

The Ultimate Question | Fred Reichheld

If you are looking for a better understanding of your customer base and how you

can advance the profitability of your business, this book is a must read. Reichheld

focuses on a measurement he developed with Bain and Company which is a

predictive indicator of future revenue.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team | Patrick Lencioni

If you are wondering if team dynamics may be a factor in the success of your company, read

this book to learn how team dynamics can play a role in lost revenues and project failures.

The book includes a team test that you can administer to find out which dysfunction your

team may be suffering from. This is a quick read, and the last chapter sums up what lessons

you should walk away with.

The High Purpose Company | Christine Arena

Arena’s book measures the long term success of companies that

develop a higher corporate responsibility and finds that they can

lead to long-term profits. With a style similar to “Built to Last” by

Jim Collins, Arena compares two different groups of companies

to illustrate how strategic initiatives focused around corporate

responsibilities can result in improved bottom lines.

Page 24: Bellwether - A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

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