I recently joined two different volunteer groups.  Both didn’t do a great job at setting expectations, and I’m sure many a volunteer would get disheartened even before they start!

One group requires a background check.  Not a problem, but because they didn’t set the expected time to complete, and then check back when there was a delay and why, it seemed they didn’t want me.  If they told be originally that they were at the mercy of the Police Department and becuase of the holidays things got delayed, perceptions would have been different.

The other group didn’t set expectations about the amount of paperwork they required.  At every step, more paperwork was sent to be filled out.  The quantity and type of paperwork was in my opinion wasteful and tiresome.  But again, setting initial expectations could have softened the blow (or pile) of paperwork.

The people who run the first group (County employees) are extremely nice, supportive and seek to both gain your assistance and give you assistance so you can volunteer.  From that standpoint they have certainly set expectations.  I applaud them.

The second group seems to have lots of hoops and every time I turn around, as I’ve said, more paperwork.  Now I understand paperwork (I filled out for one of my associations a US Government SF-86; which is the Questionnaire for National Security Positions and 127 pages long) but at least that was a fill-able PDF form!.

Have they set secondary expectation?  Too soon to tell.

Correct exceptions can mean the difference between rolling with the punches or getting frustrated.  Now compare your relationships with your customers.  Do they get frustrated or do you provide enough communication so they roll with the punches?

Regardless of circumstances, the type of relationship or even the length of time the relationship has been established; setting and resetting expectations is important.

Written contracts go a long way to that end, but so do brochures, web sites, and social media.  But nothing works better than old fashion human to human contact that says “this is the process, this is where we (are) have[ing] problems in the process [because...] and let’s keep the lines of communication open”.

He’s done consulting work, networking events and sent out more resumes (thank goodness they are basically electronic these days) than a ream or reams could produce.

Interviews, he’s had more than his share, but he’s come in number two multiple times.  Unfortunately in the employment game, that’s as good as coming in last, it doesn’t pay the bills.

He recently told me he was talking to a “good” recruiter who told him he was damaged goods.  If this is a “good” recruiter, what is a bad recruiter?

Why was that statement so bad?!

1. Talk about crushing an ego
2. The reason was because he did consulting stints (no he should starve)
3. He’s old (no he has 30 years of progressively increasing responsibility and experience)
4. He didn’t have this or that on his resume (I though recruiters were supposed to guide the employer into creating a job spec that meets the needs, and one that is not pie in the sky)

Every story on unemployment talks about the negative psychological impact it has on the individual and that individual’s family.  Maybe there should be a mandated ethical standard that these so-called recruiters need to operate within, because that person definitely went over the line.

I know my friend will find a home and that home will be better for finding him.  He’ll apply those 30 years of knowledge to problems and improve the top, middle and bottom lines for his employer.  He’ll also recoup the drain in cash that has occurred so maybe he’ll one-day be able to retire.

As for that “good” recruiter; maybe that person should be on the other side of the desk….for several years.  Take a look at the Code of Ethics from the National Association of Executive Recruiters; I’m sorry but where is the ethical standards vis a vis dealing with both potential candidates and those of the client companies?

A telling example of an industry in need of state and congressional oversight (and that is a real buzz killer!).

• Your company isn’t running the way you want
• You’re not maximizing the potential
• You don’t have Key Performance Indexes and Metrics
• Your accounting isn’t sound

So you realize you need to do something, but what?  And you want it to be painless and inexpensive.  That means you’ve decided to do nothing, which is a really bad choice.

Next you decide you’ll just throw Band-Aids at the problem and fix the system.  That really might work and give you the breathing room you need to grow the business.  But then again, it may not work.

Start from scratch (well almost from scratch).  Well, I tell you that it won’t be painless and it won’t be cheap, but it may just be the best answer and provide the most ROI of any choice.

But how do you decide the best way?  First you realize that change costs; change takes time and resources and most importantly change takes research.  Also, by implementing a best practice approach can save you time and money as well as lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) or change if you like.

Over the next few months we’ll delve into this topic and give you some insights into best practices.  But I leave you wish one assignment to think about till next time and it’s a topic we covered in our May 1^st Newsletter, “What business are you really in?”

My answer; which in my humble opinion is the best answer; is taking the question and turning it back onto itself.

Namely, why is it important that a candidate have these degrees or certification and what do they really mean in the grand scheme as it relates not only to the job, but your company?

How many people have these degrees and certifications and perform under par?  How many perform on or above par?  If candidate X has these requirements and candidate Y doesn’t, but in the total picture candidate Y is far superior, are you not going to hire candidate Y?

How does corporate culture mesh with creating arbitrary requirements based on assumptions that may be flawed?

You may have noticed that most of my sentences are not declaratory in nature, but questions.  I’m not the one creating the job specs, you are.  As such, just because there is a suggestion that you need a certain person doesn’t make it correct.

It’s a business decision, and why again do you wish to arbitrary eliminate what possibly could be the best choices?

So who do you think makes the best CFO, a CPA, a MBA, a CMA, a person with some combination of degrees or certifications mentioned or not?

They told me they were a manufacturer.  “Great”, I said, because it is one of the areas I can speak from direct work knowledge.  I asked where the plant was located and whether or not they were running MRP (manufacturing requirements planning), and with what costing model.

The answer was the plant was located in China.  Their Production Manager, located in Hong Kong, handled all those issues.  If we weren’t on the phone, he would have noticed my perplexed facial expressions, because something was amiss.

I asked again, to re-clarify, maybe I heard wrong, that they were indeed a manufacturer.

I didn’t – which on some levels is very good, because my hearing is still working.

The potential client of course isn’t a manufacturer.  At least they are an importer and probably also a distributor and a retailer (they do retail e-commerce).  But they are not a manufacturer.

They probably licensed the manufacturing of their designs to the plant in China, an again there is absolutely nothing wrong with that business model.  But when you don’t own, have no direct oversight of any aspect of the manufacturing process, you are not a manufacturer.  You are a wholesaler, distributor, and/or retailer and in this instance since you buy it overseas, an importer.  But you are not a manufacturer.

Why is this distinction so, so important?

There was an article as my business friend Alan Berkson of the Intelligist Group passed around.  He said that we should read this  ”…brilliant article that was written for Harvard Business Review in 1960. Yes, 1960.”  The article called Marketing Myopia by Theodore Levitt was re-published in July 2004 Harvard Business Review.  http://hbr.org/2004/07/marketing-myopia

It is well worth a few minutes to read, because I think you’ll find answer to why it’s so important in knowing what your business is and isn’t.

Think survival!

Our first tenuous steps – risk.

Our first bicycle ride – risk.

Our first time on ice skates – risk.

Our first time asking someone for a date – big risk!

So I think I’ve made my point.  We are all about risk taking.  But why do so many business owners feel that if they don’t make a decision, there is no risk?

Let me say that another way.  There is risk in every decision we make, including not making a decision.  In fact, it may be riskier not to make a decision than making one.

Let’s take this example.  Your business is stagnant; which means you are losing ground; which means you are ultimately going to go out of business.  Decision matrix time; make a change which is out of your comfort zone (which isn’t working) or try something new.

Negative Risk factors:  Do nothing; go out of business.  Do something; go out of business.

Positive Risk factors: Do nothing; none.  Do something; stay in business and grow.

Did I mention how risky that first good night kiss was?

This was my review of them on Proformative dated Jan 14, 2012:

My provider sold their VOIP business unit to Stage 2. In less than 2 days, they have shown me that their business model is not to provide customer support and to maximize costs to the customer.

Case in Point: I receive an e-mail telling me if I don’t agree to e-mail invoices, there will be an additional $25/month surcharge. I’m sorry, paper invoices are a cost of doing business. We have not transitioned to a paperless society yet. (give me a credit for going paperless, don’t charge me).

In the same e-mail I’m told if I don’t give them a credit card or permit ACH withdrawals, you guessed it, a $25 surcharge. Last I heard, Checks are still a legal form of bill paying.

Between these two edicts, I would be paying more than my monthly rate!

Lastly I receive my first invoice (paper) and I send them an e-mail asking whether they received my payment desires (credit card) and whether they are using that to remit payment on the invoice tendered. The e-mail was read, but over a week later, no reply.

Needless to say, I’m exploring new vendors.

This one is unresponsive, and I don’t like unresponsive vendors (even if I am a minute, inconsequential customer; which in the case I am; but look what consequences bad customer service has… a bad review on a site that their major audience uses… to see whether they should engage companies.

So fast forward several months and I find out that my caller ID isn’t sending my company name, but there network.  I send an email and they say they are fixing it.  But then when I go to retrieve my e-mail, my pass-code doesn’t work.

I complain and am told that this time their reset it, but next time I’ll get charged $25.  Well, I didn’t’ touch my VM pass-code and I didn’t change it.  I also told them I would charge them $25 for wasting my time, of course next time, just like them.

Today I received a call from a Stage2Networks techie JJ Lian whose attitude needs a major adjustment.  It seems that my pass-code (and everyone’s at Stage2Networks) expires every 30 days!  How absurd (and thanks for a) telling me originally, b) sending me a reminder that is in English and not phonese).

I and you have better things to do then to change our pass-code every 30 days….  for voicemail….

This is really strike 3.  When I get some time and I’ll look to change, and my advise to you is not use Stage2Networks, and to Stage 2 Networks ; change your attitude.

For those who may not know, or connect the term tag line, it’s a line or two that sums up your company and its philosophy.

As an example, SBA * Consulting’s tag line is “Financial Growth is Good”.  And if one were to look into that statement, I’m sure all would agree (with the one possible exception of Congress who can’t agree on anything).

Tag lines really should be short, with what I am told is the best length being 3 or 4 words.  Think about some of the companies you may deal with and what their tag line is.

WordPress -> Code is Poetry
Apple -> Byte into an Apple (Late 1970′s )
IBM -> On Demand Business
Starbucks -> We Live Together, Let’s Give Together

What’s your tag line?

He needs financial help; great I say, because that’s what SBA * Consulting is all about.

We make an appointment.  Two hours before, he cancels.

We make a new appointment; one hour before (because I wised up) he cancels.

I send him a note, as nicely as I can, stating if he can’t make two pre-scheduled appointments how can he possibly do all his multi-hatted jobs and finance at the same time.

This was (if you read between the lines) a wake-up call saying “Get Help!”, “Make a positive proactive change!”

I haven’t heard back from him, but I’ll reach out in a week or two.

These sales calls have been with the owner’s of businesses who have seen a glimmer of need in our services; and currently perform (or attempt to perform) the functions of a CFO.

In each cash, their other hat(s) got in the way of our meeting.  Fortunately, most have had the courtesy and forethought to cancel beforehand, others have apologized profusely. But in any case, do you see the handwriting on the wall?

You are too busy!  You are wearing too many hats!  Your focus is divided into too many different issues.  It is impossible for you to exceed on any front when you are doing that many functions.  Think about a computer with not enough RAM.  The hard drive thrashes as memory is dumped from RAM to hard drive and back again, so calculations can be performed.

That’s what you’re doing, thrashing.

How many of you feel that way?  Maybe you should take a time-out, meet with your advisers and think about the benefits and the costs, the ROI and TCO of obtaining qualified assistance.

The old adage “two heads are better than one” isn’t so out of date!