Harvard Business Publishing

This article is great. I work in business to business ad sales and the points in this article pin point what it takes in my job to be successful. I forwarded this article to many people in my office because although times are really tough it is so important to remember that its the little things that set us apart and hopefully ahead of our competition.

Just shared this on my blog for association professionals ... we're having a lively conversation in our world because we're only too aware that we're just one trade-off away. As we trade strategies, it'll be good to keep these in mind. Associations now more than ever need to really decipher the strategically important vs nice. Since we in associations collect lots of industry data, it would seem now is the time to really work that data for our members benefit. Hope more association execs are reading.

I too thought the article was great and timely. I am in Global Business Travel and have seen my corporate client's travel policy change due to the current environment. Just knowing the industry really helps. We work to make sure we know about a flight cancellation before the traveling client does. A call to the client's hotel room in the middle of the day is a great touch. Just checking in to see if you need anything is a welcome message on their hotel room voice mail. The little things to help us to stand above the competition.

This article is too good

I am in B2B Business of Corporate card , I personally feel what Ed has told is really applicable in today's economic situation.

If we explore the pain areas of a company which is been neglected and deliver a solution to their pain areas we will make lot of difference in his mind.... May be the business what we get would be substantially low at this economic downturn but when the market improves then think of the business from this customer :) ......We need to stay focused on long term revenues.

Article really clers the air on current economic situation and imprtonce of our customers in reference current context.I think this is the time to recall and recollect our basics.Whatevere we are proposing was there since inception ,but some how we sidelined all of them.
Situations like this add the bottom lines to all the theories that whatever was written earleir needs to be clearly understood that all the theories of market ended with a final word " Customer".
I think this is the right time that all our efforts should be more cocentric towards our customers.

A nice thought provoking write up and i would like to share my
views on that.

It is indeed a brazen truth that during bad days
of financial meltdown and recession, we often get too much engrossed with our own problems, be it cost cutting, lay offs, rationing of salaries and perks etc that we tend to forget the basics.Every business survives and thrives on one major denominator...i.e customers and that too the satisfied and well serviced ones, rather than irate and discontended ones. How to hand hold them and keep them in our loop,so that we are able to weather the storm yet don't loose our business.

1.Keep in touch with your customers: No doubt there shall be cost cuttings and fall out in ad expenses. Use means of communications which are cheaper and reacable like SMS, e mails etc.Use personal contacts and PRships to develop a fine rapport.

2.Keep them in loop: It is necessary to let your customers know that the corporates are running through rough patches, due to economic recession. Tell them it is not an isolated or company specific syndrome. Give them posititve and optimistic signals, rather than portraying a gloomy picture. This will hand hold them and save the scourge of drifting and exodus.

3.Advice them alternative avenues for investments, holding back cash reserves, or procrastination. This will build up the trust and confidence in them and they will fall back on you, when the times changes.Don't portray a false and rosy picture.

4.And above all, keep yourself focussed. During recession, perhaps due to slackening of work quantumes and discordant schedules, the devil of rumour mongering and grape vines work faster than other channels. One way to keep your cool headedness and mental equipoise, is by deliberately insulating, or getting quarantined from the rabble rousers, or such virulent group of employees.

All I can say is, it is no rocket science. All one need is diligence,determination and deliverance to keep your sails up(sales) and paddle your canoe through this maelstorm and economic turbulence.I'm working in a financial sector and am witnessing the same downslide syndromes day in and day out.

Sandy Dheer
New Delhi India