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Your help, ideas and advice in the following matter is requested :

CUSTOMER ORIENTATION PROGRAM

I have a client for who it has become apparent that out of 13 critical
success criteria, customer orientation is the criteria that is the most
under-developed of all.

They are now in the process of looking at a program to address this
shortcoming with +/- 100 potential senior managers. It is their objective to
correct this situation with this core group of people and then for this
cadre to carry this initiative to their various companies and divisions.

My potential client is a manufacturer and distributor of electrical
engineered products with 4000 employees divided into 8 divisions and 30
business units.

The group of 100 people would not be able to be removed from their
workstations for an extended period.

My client is looking for something more than the traditional course
presented in a class room situation.

They have requested me to, at this preliminary stage,

(a)Provide an Executive Brief or a conceptual plan and description of how I
would assist them to achieve their objectives.

(b)Provide them with preliminary budget figures on the cost of the program
suggested.

The closing date for any proposals from me is the 4th March 1999. Your
professional insight will be really appreciated.

Deon Binneman
DB Communications
Public Relations & Training Consulting
Phone/Fax: +27 (011) 4753515
deonbin@icon.co.za
=============================================
DB Communications is an integrated communications
consultancy, operating from Johannesburg, South Africa,
with special competencies in Reputation Management,
Communication Improvement & Strategic PR counseling;
and Management development training
(with the emphasis on training Reputation management ,
Small Business management and coaching skills
for leaders and communicators).
==============================================

Deon
I recommend you consider conducting a "marketing audit" among a
representative sample of the firm's customers. The purpose and the
content of the audit is to find out first hand how your customers view
you. It should be reviewed and critiqued by the senior managers, so that
they are on board prior to the audit. A skilled outsider such as
yourself should conduct the audit. You shoud be preceeded by a letter
from the CEO of the firmwhich introduces you and asks for cooperation.

These customer audits generally are very eye-opening. And as the data
comes from the customers themselves, it cannot be disputed.

Assuming these managers are geographically scattered, this then sets the
stage for small problem-solving groups to get together and find
appropriate solutions.

Deon Binneman wrote:
>
> Your help, ideas and advice in the following matter is requested :
>
> CUSTOMER ORIENTATION PROGRAM
>
> I have a client for who it has become apparent that out of 13 critical
> success criteria, customer orientation is the criteria that is the most
> under-developed of all.
>
> They are now in the process of looking at a program to address this
> shortcoming with +/- 100 potential senior managers. It is their objective to
> correct this situation with this core group of people and then for this
> cadre to carry this initiative to their various companies and divisions.
>
> My potential client is a manufacturer and distributor of electrical
> engineered products with 4000 employees divided into 8 divisions and 30
> business units.
>
> The group of 100 people would not be able to be removed from their
> workstations for an extended period.
>
> My client is looking for something more than the traditional course
> presented in a class room situation.
>
> They have requested me to, at this preliminary stage,
>
> (a)Provide an Executive Brief or a conceptual plan and description of how I
> would assist them to achieve their objectives.
>
> (b)Provide them with preliminary budget figures on the cost of the program
> suggested.
>
> The closing date for any proposals from me is the 4th March 1999. Your
> professional insight will be really appreciated.
>
> Deon Binneman
> DB Communications
> Public Relations & Training Consulting
> Phone/Fax: +27 (011) 4753515
> deonbin@icon.co.za
> =============================================
> DB Communications is an integrated communications
> consultancy, operating from Johannesburg, South Africa,
> with special competencies in Reputation Management,
> Communication Improvement & Strategic PR counseling;
> and Management development training
> (with the emphasis on training Reputation management ,
> Small Business management and coaching skills
> for leaders and communicators).
> ==============================================

--
Dick Montgomery, General Manager
21st Century Co-operative
Our Mission - "Help You Increase Sales"
http://www.chemmgrs.com

hi
i recommend training the senior managers how to coach the employees.
the coaching is done on the job by obersavations, giving a positive feedback.
best
haya

Deon Binneman wrote:

> Your help, ideas and advice in the following matter is requested :
>
> CUSTOMER ORIENTATION PROGRAM
>
> I have a client for who it has become apparent that out of 13 critical
> success criteria, customer orientation is the criteria that is the most
> under-developed of all.
>
> They are now in the process of looking at a program to address this
> shortcoming with +/- 100 potential senior managers. It is their objective to
> correct this situation with this core group of people and then for this
> cadre to carry this initiative to their various companies and divisions.
>
> My potential client is a manufacturer and distributor of electrical
> engineered products with 4000 employees divided into 8 divisions and 30
> business units.
>
> The group of 100 people would not be able to be removed from their
> workstations for an extended period.
>
> My client is looking for something more than the traditional course
> presented in a class room situation.
>
> They have requested me to, at this preliminary stage,
>
> (a)Provide an Executive Brief or a conceptual plan and description of how I
> would assist them to achieve their objectives.
>
> (b)Provide them with preliminary budget figures on the cost of the program
> suggested.
>
> The closing date for any proposals from me is the 4th March 1999. Your
> professional insight will be really appreciated.
>
> Deon Binneman
> DB Communications
> Public Relations & Training Consulting
> Phone/Fax: +27 (011) 4753515
> deonbin@icon.co.za
> =============================================
> DB Communications is an integrated communications
> consultancy, operating from Johannesburg, South Africa,
> with special competencies in Reputation Management,
> Communication Improvement & Strategic PR counseling;
> and Management development training
> (with the emphasis on training Reputation management ,
> Small Business management and coaching skills
> for leaders and communicators).
> ==============================================



--
Haya Kivilis-Ofek
8th Biniamini St.
Tel Aviv 67459
Israel

Tel: 972-3-6956737
Fax: 972-3-6964085
Email: mailto:tommy@aquanet.co.il
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/ak/ofek/index.html

Dear Deon

Jack Ring's advice is broadly on the right lines but of course it
will not be that easy.

You need to convince people that they will gain from changing the
way that they do things, and that they are the drivers of the
process.

I suggest that, in addition to 'background' reading, you meet
these people in smaller groups, (you travel to them) use the usual
techniques (brainstorming, affinity diagrams etc.) to establish how
they feel about the status quo and what that really is.

Find the common themes between these smaller groups (say 10-12 of
them, perhaps during half a day each) from their ideas and input and
then report back to HO with an action plan based upon what you have
found.

My guess is that the company will want them all 'singing the same
tune' so to send them off on their own after some 'training' may work
(I doubt it) but this will, anyway, appear too risky to the company.

If your input is going to work you need an iterative approach. In
effect you need to convince the company that customer focus starts
with you focusing on your 'customers', the 100 cohort. For this to
be effective you cannot pre-judge the issue.

This way the company can also maintain some control over you and
can maintain the right to pull the plug if they want.

Do it in stages. Start with focusing on your customers, then a small
pilot of your (and their) ideas, then roll-out and monitor.

All the best.



Dave Stewardson
ISRU {Industrial Statistics Research Unit}
MMME {Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering}
Stephenson Building
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Tyne & Wear
England
GB - NE1 7RU
TEL 00 44 191 222 8513
FAX 00 44 191 222 8600

The Dept of Labor puts out a nice aid on customer orientation as part of
their "Simply Better" Self Assessment System. The package contains:

1. Simply Better: The Voice of the Customer.
2. Simply Better: The Voice of the Customer (Workbook).
3. Self-Assessment System: Customer and Market Focus.
4. Simply Better: Customers in Focus, A Guide to Conducting and Planning
Focus Groups.
5. Simply Better: Service by Design

Available at:

www.simplybetter.org
______________

Randall W. Kindley The Performance Group
5215 45th Ave. S. "Building High Performance
Minneapolis MN 55417-2334 Organizations by Developing
612-721-6752 People and Processes"

kindley@dialupnet.com www.topleaders.com

.

----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Stewardson <D.J.Stewardson@NCL.AC.UK>
To: <MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: Customer Orientation Program


>Dear Deon
>
>Jack Ring's advice is broadly on the right lines but of course it
>will not be that easy.
>
>You need to convince people that they will gain from changing the
>way that they do things, and that they are the drivers of the
>process.
>
>I suggest that, in addition to 'background' reading, you meet
>these people in smaller groups, (you travel to them) use the usual
>techniques (brainstorming, affinity diagrams etc.) to establish how
>they feel about the status quo and what that really is.
>
>Find the common themes between these smaller groups (say 10-12 of
>them, perhaps during half a day each) from their ideas and input and
>then report back to HO with an action plan based upon what you have
>found.
>
>My guess is that the company will want them all 'singing the same
>tune' so to send them off on their own after some 'training' may work
>(I doubt it) but this will, anyway, appear too risky to the company.
>
>If your input is going to work you need an iterative approach. In
>effect you need to convince the company that customer focus starts
>with you focusing on your 'customers', the 100 cohort. For this to
>be effective you cannot pre-judge the issue.
>
>This way the company can also maintain some control over you and
>can maintain the right to pull the plug if they want.
>
>Do it in stages. Start with focusing on your customers, then a small
>pilot of your (and their) ideas, then roll-out and monitor.
>
>All the best.
>
>
>
>Dave Stewardson
>ISRU {Industrial Statistics Research Unit}
>MMME {Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering}
>Stephenson Building
>University of Newcastle upon Tyne
>Tyne & Wear
>England
>GB - NE1 7RU
>TEL 00 44 191 222 8513
>FAX 00 44 191 222 8600