Mar 19, 2007
Securing the Future
Internal HVTO managers should focus on their customers as well as the volumes they process
By George Linkletter
HVTO managers in internal units are often uneasy about the future. Given the steady growth of outsourcers, their unease is understandable. But worry is wasted energy. It is far better to be proactive and to take steps to control one’s destiny.
The problem is many internal HVTO managers suffer from a “can’t see the forest for the trees” syndrome. In this case, the forest is customer satisfaction and the trees are the continued work. Internal managers may not realize it, because their volumes seem to arrive like clockwork everyday, but they need to ‘win’ the volumes. Outsourcers are accustomed to ‘winning the work.’ They know that sales are the lifeblood of any business organization. As the old saying goes, “Nothing happens in business until a sale is made.”
Whether achieved by an outsourcer or an internal unit, sales don’t occur in isolation. They result from consistent effort, a team or partner orientation, preparation, and especially a focus on customer priorities. Sales also come at the expense of a competitor. A sale that is achieved by one is a sale denied to another. Outsourcers know this fundamental and inescapable truth. Lastly, sales are the most secure, i.e., the most likely to be ongoing, when they yield a high level of customer satisfaction and result from a strong competitive advantage.
Internal HVTO managers can be at a disadvantage in trying to win sales because they may lack the formal sales training employed by outsourcers. But they have advantages, too. They have a keen understanding of the specific applications being processed, an in-depth knowledge of the organization, and valuable insight into the emerging trends and priorities of the organization.
The key to success for managers of HVTO internal units is to think less like a manager of a print/mail finishing center and to think more like a consultant who is trying to identify and solve the most pressing business needs of customers. This shift in focus enables customers to view and value the internal HVTO manager as a knowledgeable partner and not just a vendor.
Here are four steps that internal HVTO managers can take to achieve a higher level of customer satisfaction.
Determine the customer’s priorities -- Every business manager has priorities. These can be factors such as low costs, fast turnaround, errorless performance, proven reliability, or technological innovation. Some managers are looking for a mix of attributes or perhaps a combination of all of them. Knowing which are the highest priorities for your customers, as well as which you can achieve on a continuing basis, can keep you ahead of the pack. You can’t be all things to all people. But if you meet the priorities that are most important to your customers, you are likely to be successful.
Stress your added value -- Most internal organizations have several unique selling strengths. But all too often they are just overlooked or forgotten. These can include factors such as: familiarity with the applications, which can help compress cycle times; or an unwavering commitment to meet deadlines; or the availability of resources elsewhere in the enterprise to facilitate features such as highly customized messaging. Each of these can be a value-added strength and can help secure a sale or continue an existing relationship.
Understand your competitors -- Every competitor has strengths and weaknesses. Make sure you know the capabilities of your competitors and can counteract their claims. If your chief competitor is low cost, get your costs as low as possible. If you can’t compete head-to-head on a key point, such as technological innovation, be proactive. Structure a partnership arrangement with an outsourcer that is better equipped. That way, you can manage customer service for any applications that are outsourced, and continue to process internally those applications for which you are best suited.
Appreciate your customer’s hierarchy -- Every manager has a boss. Every organization is dynamic. Every enterprise is impacted by factors such as shifting trends, changing personnel assignments, and competing needs for resources and capital. Capitalize on your knowledge of how managers in your organization interact with one another. Focus your efforts on achieving consensus among the key managers. Assure that the key constituencies understand and are supportive of your capabilities and mission.
In today’s complex and fast-paced business environment, customer messaging is becoming more comprehensive and more closely aligned with internal business processes. Internal HVTO managers are in an excellent position to capitalize on the trend.
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Comments? Contact georgelinkletter@charter.net.