China as Top Innovator is Off the Mark

In the Monday, July 23, 2007 edition of the USA Today (Money Section) a sidebar said the following: "One in four Americans think China will beat the United States in the next decade as the world leader in innovation, according to a survey released Sunday by Zogby International. Seventy percent said the government is not doing enough, and nearly two-thirds of the 8,046 respondents said American business isn't promoting innovation enough, either."

China's degree and depth of TRUE innovation is suspect. Let's not forget the numerous manufacturing snafus (from toothpaste to tires) that China has experienced in recent months. What China is is a leader in pirating and patent infringement. China should be recognized less for their manufacturing innovation and more for their repeated bastardizing and commoditizing of American Innovation and markets.

While certain markets and manufacturers may have grown stale, TRUE innovation and ingenuity are alive and well in companies throughout the United States. As we move forward in manufacturing, it's important that American companies direct their sales emphasis less on the low cost provision of Chinese Sourcing and more on the TRUE innovation and value that American companies provide.

Salespeople as Businesspeople #10 - By Brent Patmos

The next 13 blog posts will deal specifically with the behaviors, strategies and skill sets that lead to salespeople thinking as businesspeople and achieving advanced levels of sales performance.

Competency #10 - Inspires Customers: The salesperson as businessperson energizes customers and colleagues and facilitates sales accomplishment by promoting a clear sense of purpose and understanding around the needs and interests of the customer.

Salespeople as Businesspeople #9 - By Brent Patmos

The next 14 blog posts will deal specifically with the behaviors, strategies and skill sets that lead to salespeople thinking as businesspeople and achieving advanced levels of sales performance.

Competency #9 - Providing Direction: The salesperson as businessperson provides their customer with a clear sense of sales direction based on a thorough understanding of their needs and requirements. They organize the necessary resources of their company and navigate through them on behalf of the customer. They place an emphasis on providing feedback internally so that margin is maximized and unnecessary expense is minimized.

Salespeople as Businesspeople #8 - By Brent Patmos

The next 15 blog posts will deal specifically with the behaviors, strategies and skill sets that lead to salespeople thinking as businesspeople and achieving advanced levels of sales performance.

Competency #8 - Financial Competence: The salesperson as businessperson demonstrates financial competence by understanding the financial drivers of their business and their customer's business. They ask purposeful questions about sales targets, expense targets and pricing and margin strategies. The ability for a salesperson to interact at this level demonstrates a confidence and a competence that moves them beyond typical and into the status of trusted advisor.

Salespeople as Businesspeople #7 - By Brent Patmos

The next 16 blog posts will deal specifically with the behaviors, strategies and skill sets that lead to salespeople thinking as businesspeople and achieving advanced levels of sales performance.

Competency #7 - Highly Effective Questioning and Listening Skills: The salesperson as businessperson asks probing and open ended questions rather than closed ended questions that are answered with a simple yes or no. They use active listening skills rather than passive listening skills. Active listening skills provide insight around what was said as well as what wasn't said. They can "read between the lines" and gain greater insight into the strategic obejctives of their customer. Passive listening is one dimensional and leads to non-descript responses that reflect on the salesperson's desire to simply sell something.

Salespeople as Businesspeople #6

The next 17 blog posts will deal specifically with the behaviors, strategies and skill sets that lead to salespeople thinking as businesspeople and achieving advanced levels of sales performance.

Competency #6 - Persuasiveness: The salesperson as businessperson influences the attitudes, opinions and thoughts of their customers and clients. They work in such a way as to gain understanding and agreement around proposals, plans, thoughts and ideas that will have a significant impact in their customer's business. They consistently have an "eye" toward mutual benefit as the primary objective of their persuasiveness.

AT&T sales and service flop with the iPhone

An article from the AP in San Francisco says the following: "AT&T attributed the problems to overloaded servers as large numbers of customers tried to activate their iPhones this past weekend. After being hit with the initial onslaught, AT&T made technical adjustments to its activation system so that new users wouldn't face the same delays." said Michael Coe an AT&T spokesman.

Did Apple forget to tell AT&T that they were introducing the iPhone? Was the introduction of the iPhone a well kept secret? Have key people at AT&T not watched TV or read a newspaper in the last six months? While all of the above could be true, the fact is that AT&T simply dropped the ball as the exclusive provider for iPhones. Their PR statement, as quoted above, is nothing more than corporate rhetoric for a significant sales and service strategy debacle that left many iphone buyers feeling disappointed and irritated.

What AT&T should have simply said was: "We made a mistake and underestimated the sales and service impact of the iPhone introduction." That of course would be a refreshing departure from the sales rhetoric designed to somehow make us feel better about the fact that AT&T wasn't prepared for one of the largest mobile communication introductions in the last 10 years.

Salespeople as Businesspeople #5 - By Brent Patmos

The next 18 blog posts will deal specifically with the behaviors, strategies and skill sets that lead to salespeople thinking as businesspeople and achieving advanced levels of sales performance.

Competency #5 - Interpersonal Communication: The salesperson as businessperson demonstrates consideration, concern and respect in communication with their customers and others within their company. They demonstrate a genuine interest in the perspectives and inputs of their customers and work to clearly understand those needs before developing and aligning a sales strategy and approach.

Salespeople as Businesspeople #4 - By Brent Patmos

The next 19 blog posts will deal specifically with the behaviors, strategies and skill sets that lead to salespeople thinking as businesspeople and achieving advanced levels of sales performance.

Competency #4 - Perseverance: The salesperson as businessperson is resilient and tenacious. They continually strive to achieve sales objectives, goals and financial gain even in the face of adversity. They cope with sales disappointments and setbacks and recognize them as the most relevant sales training and development they receive. These experiences assist them in designing future sales strategies and understanding what pitfalls to avoid.

Salespeople as Businesspeople #3 - By Brent Patmos

The next 20 blog posts will deal specifically with the behaviors, strategies and skill sets that lead to salespeople thinking as businesspeople and achieving advanced levels of sales performance.

Competency #3 - Judgement: The salesperson makes rational, realistic and sound decisions related to their sales strategy and customer requirements. The resulting sales decisions are based on a consideration of all the facts and alternatives available.