Not that you asked, but I have some things to say.

We receive many answers. Yes, no, maybe...silence. All are forms of answers. I was faced with a rather unique epiphany to a rather old and repeated answer to a question I asked of a prospective client today. I won't get into the question, or it's answer. What I will discuss is the epiphany. The answer didn't serve my purpose. My options were a) accept the answer as gospel; b) re-ask the question, but in a different manner; c) try to change the situation that made the answer correct, or d) find the real answer elsewhere. I may have missed an option, this is a complex scenario. But the summary above served my purpose, and in the spirit of expediency, I limited it to those three. How should I address this? Step 1: Assess the individual. Is there historical precedence that would lead me to believe that the person is not being truthful? Is there precedence that the person may believe what he or she is saying, with the answer being incorrect? Does this person even have

In a recent post I used the term 'atrocious' to define my new office. After consideration, I felt it necessary to expound on this a tad. The office is located in the area of BNA airport. It is dense with business offices, a blessing for a salesperson. It has free parking (my old office I had to pay), a conference room twice the size of my old settings, an impressive entry foyer that could almost be called an indoor arboretum, and a fully functional kitchen that I look forward to using soon. It is, as offices go, quite lovely. So why the word atrocious? I'll say it speaks more to me than the office. It's location is strategic and highly functional. The several locations (that we telco types call POPs) are deployed based on how they will tie together a fiber network. This generally means they will be dotted around the periphery of a city. So again...why the word atrocious? It's strategic location, on the periphery of the city, means that many of the things I

I'll admit...I stole the word 'Co-opetiton'. It was either from Frank Platt or Ron Styers, two of Nashville's Technology Titans, and all around damn good guys. The idea was one I already followed, but they both cemented it for me. Thank you both. The brief definition of this (and I've already blogged about it before, excuse any repetition) is to embrace your competitors as inevitable and, where possible, to engage them on behalf of your client. To expound a tad, my client will be looking at CarrierX. They currently do not have a contact. I will ask, on the clients behalf, to make an introduction. The iPad carries a strong app for Windows Office suite. This is due to the inevitability of Windows Office. To not have co-opetition here would be fruitless and detrimental to Apple. So it goes. At a Golf Tourney today and a Technology 'special interest committee' meeting yesterday, the idea of Co-opetition arose. Many at both events could not accept the ide

Today I attended my first sales meeting at my new company. The meeting was presided over by the same sales manager I've had for years, but the subject was change. Not just the change for he and I, but the change our arrival will mean to the others on the team. He challenged them to take a hard look at their approach, their performance, their attitude and commitment. Being new, I had no such evaluation, at least not similar to theirs. But I did do some thinking about the past few years of my life at my previous company. What I came up with was hard to admit. I had been morbidly bored. This boredom had infected, infiltrated, and eroded at me. I had become complacent, jaded, angry, and somewhat lazy. To any peers or clients that read this, my apologies. I have been trained to self-motivate...to control that which I can, accept those things outside of my control, and push for results without falter. "Not happy? Get there or go elsewhere." Sometimes it's alright to admit

Inevitable, constant, lovely change. I have, over the past decade or so, faced changes. Clients, corporate policies, leaders, peers, etc....all have changed over the years. I have harangued many times about change....all from the comfort of the same desk I've had for years. The biggest change in my career just occurred this past Monday. It was then I knew that I had truly seen little change. I had 10 years of momentum and success that I could wrap around myself like a comfy blanket. That all changed Monday. But maybe not...my reputation, years of great training, relationships that I've had longer than I've known my wife, my old boss....they are all still with me. This is comforting. My new office is atrocious, my new team mates probably have no idea how to take me, and my new company is very process oriented. I'm not a process guy. But I am invigorated, excited, and (dare I say) ready to accept this change. But several times this week I have longed to wrap myself in my

As a salesperson, I tend to focus on big-picture items. This seems to be typical of my kind, so I'm satisfied in making such a sweeping generalization of not just myself, but on my sales brethren. We have support and engineering teams for a reason. Today, however, I witnessed a detail open up a conversation/sales meeting....and it was offered up by someone on the sales team. A client was explaining how their current carrier had caused them much heartache....let's call that carrier Qworst (totally made up name, so there). A counterpart of mine explained our process for classifying "chronic" in relation to trouble tickets. Here's how it played out: "1st trouble ticket is listed and brought to resolution. 2nd trouble ticket is reviewed by support. 3rd trouble ticket and we classify as 'chronic', and redesign the entire circuit with the LEC (go look it up)." ......."really" replied the client, "Cool".....the conversation changed..

I've, many times, discussed the requirements needed to make a thing a commodity. The primary requirement is fungibility. Fungibile----(especially of goods) being of such nature or kind as to be freely exchangeable or replaceable, in whole or in part, for another of like nature or kind. Crude Oil, precious metals, currency....these are fungible items. Technology, especially telecommunications, is very difficult to understand. The massive differences on how technology is truly delivered is one of it's primary downfalls at being properly valuated. Big sentence, right? But accurate. Every strand of fiber, every node in a network, technicians, engineers, billing platforms, service managers, etc...etc....etc. I train weekly, strive to keep updated on changes and developments in my industry, and am fairly technical for a sales rep (which is like being the prettiest waitress at Denny's)....but I bust my ass to stay relevant. There are many times that I just don't get it....it&

Shot, stabbed, stolen from??? From your client?? Then you are indeed a victim. Lied to, left in the dark, led to believe something other than what you wish???? Your fault. You, sweetheart, are not a victim. Stop acting like it, stop feeling it, stop expressing it in whatever simple way you might to your management. I've been reading a book about psychopathy, and how its root is a lack of empathy. Often a mistranslated word, empathy is the ability to understand and relate to others feelings. All salesfolk must have empathy. We will not win every deal.....but we should always be in a position to fire the client, before they fire us. Anything less is a lack of understanding on our part, and a derelict of duty.....sound extreme? Learn. I lost a deal the other day....a large one.....I was flabbergasted. After roughly 10 minutes of analysis, however, I realized exactly how and why I lost. I sold too high up the food chain, not realizing that who I saw as influencer was actually t

I bought a Mexican produced half-liter of Coca-Cola today. It seems in many countries Coke still uses cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). I do not want to debate the health issues that concern many in regards to HFCS. I do believe HFCS is evil, but I will save that for a later discussion. So...what's my point?? Taste. Quality. Refreshability (yes, I just made up a word). The old taste tests that were popular advertising when I was growing up should be re-introduced. We should taste test Coke against Coke. There is a distinct difference between the two, and a Coke with HFCS pales in comparison to it's cane sugar cousin. I will not preach on this issue, but I could....just try it for yourself. Because of some very interesting economic and political issues, HFCS is cheaper than cane sugar. Go Google this....decide for yourself if you like....or just trust me, It ain't good. So as we see the Orange Revolution, the Jasmine Revolution, the Green Revolution....h

Today was out to get me. It began at 12:01am, yes one minute after midnight....with a zeal that seemed to justify the personification I am giving to 'this day'. I put on a mask when dealing with some folks.....I vented like mad to others....and pushed forward. I probably brought a few people down today. My apologies. But, I still see every problem that arose today (and there were about 5) as what I consider to be "Problems of Abundance." My dog, who has turned me into a crazy dog person, is fighting cancer. He had a bad reaction to his treatment. I'm happy to have him at all. My new house has a small creek.....on the inside. Just to clarify, it shouldn't be there. I was given a repair quote of roughly $25,000. I am blessed to own a home, even if I decide to say to hell with the basement and buy a kayak. I had a gas leak that needed repair today. I'm glad for the gift of fire, but more importantly the indirect compliment the old fella from the gas company

I had lunch with an accomplished and respected member of the Nashville Technology community today....we'll call him Joe (not his real name). We discussed action items for a committee that combines the local business and educational worlds. Sort of an oil and water situation (business world and education world) but we will succeed. This, however, is not the topic I want to discuss. In the course of our lunch, I requested that Joe send an introductory email to another member of the Nashville business world, a man I had actually met the day before...we'll call him Ike. Joe reminded me that he had, just the day before, introduced me to Ike. The setting was frenetic and I did not speak to Ike long. It was possible Ike might not remember me, as I had not told any inappropriate jokes or made any overt comments (my standard calling card). I had Ike's card, with his email, and could have easily shot off an email. It would have been the typical, and very general, "I met you, we

I spoke to a contact with one of my largest clients the other day. He was newly hired, and this was our first conversation. He mentioned the great reputation that both my company, and myself, had within their company. We have been a large service provider at their corporate HQ location for over a decade. In that amount of time, of course, we have had some issues. We hit the issues head on, resolve them, and have a high level of success with issues (higher than any of our competitors). But....I know for a fact that there are individuals within their company that would talk negatively about my company......and me. One guy absolutely hates me. The feeling is quite mutual. So...what's my point? Well, this one is a tough one. Statistically, many people/clients will be in the midst of a problem at any given moment. Ask them their opinion of their provider when the problems are at their peak. When the problem is solved, ask them again. See below for a breakdown: If they are calm during th