Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Just joined today, but have all ready read a lot.  There`s a lot of really useful information and great ideas here.  Here`s a small contribution, but there will be more to follow.  It`s just an article on how to help your sales force.  Kinda hit home for me since I am located in Florida just like the author.  Enjoy: http://thequotingcoach.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/now-is-the-time-to-improve-your-sales-quoting-process/.

I read through about half the article and disagree somewhat with the author. In hard times we all start getting calls from companies we haven`t dealt with for years! They suddenly discover us on an obscure mailing list. Whether we cancel with them for poor service is regardless, because we were once a customer.

A had dinner with a cousin of mine Monday evening. She talked about the same kind of sales/marketing campaign for her company. Fell flat on its rear. Mucho effort, zero sales.

In my opinion, the money is more wisely spent in beefing up customer service, making customers believe you care about them and teaching your sales and support people to listen to the customer and fill their needs. If Home Depot has seen the light, others can also.



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I agree customer service is important and seems to have disappeared from this country.  However, you could argue that customer service is a tool for your business and that the author (although suggested spending on your salesforce) indirectly implied investing in customer service because your sales reps are often the face of your company.  I took it as a more general idea that investing in your business is a good way to spend money rather than on expensive ad campaigns. 

Hi TurnTwo :-) Welcome to the forums.

I read the article, and had a couple of thoughts. The main one is that many people routinely equate an economic downturn as a storm, tumultuous and a force of nature. Ordinarily, it`s a reasonable metaphor. But like all metaphors and analogies, they break down when used as direct translations for reality.

Consider the idea of riding out a hurricane by having sufficient provisions to last through a longer-than-expected storm. The assumption is that "when the storm ends, I`m in a better position."

That`s a pretty large assumption, being "better" than before the storm came ashore. In many instances, following a major hurricane, the entire area is devastated. Infrastructure is destroyed, homes and commercial buildings are severely damaged, and there`s very little normalcy for a long period.

It`s true that being alive is better than being dead. It`s true that alive is a better position. But overall, the deeper question is why would someone want to weather out a hurricane in the first place? Why not evacuate, and if the home area is wiped out, start a new life?

That being said, the true basis of the article is the concept of more efficient use of tools. Software, in today`s world, is a compelling tool. Anyone not using a computer will tend to be at a disadvantage in many business situations.

On the other hand, for most entrepreneurial ventures I wonder how large is their sales force? How much really are they spending on the quote process itself? I`m thinking not all that much.

So what`s a good way to use automation and technology on a micro scale, that would successfully improve efficiency in today`s economy?