Customer relationship management systems were not created to run your client relationships; they are a support engine. When business development specialists forget this, clients inevitably start feeling like a number. For example, the system says call Mrs Jones every 3 weeks, but Mrs Jones broke her ankle in week 2, if you do not check on Mrs Jones, chances are she will realise that you are calling her only to make your quota.
Do not ignore the obvious, every tech company has a post-it board they use during system design. People need people to perform at their best, especially when they are young and ‘do not know what they do not know’. Historically, offices have been designed to train and coach people to their best ability in the workplace because they create a dynamic classroom.
Yes, people require more effort, but they are also your competitive advantage. In a world where technology solutions can be applied to most environments, what people miss the most is real customer service both within the business and at a customer level.
Human resource management is ‘skill essential’, for every management role. The more I hear about Monday.Com and all the other employee key performance tracking systems the more I worry about the employee.
Nothing frightens managers more than people; however it is these people that will make you great. It has always been my theory that every manager should consider themselves an HR executive. Management skills are about the art of moving people in the right direction, however when you make good system decisions, but cannot get your people to comply you have missed the boat.
What I enjoy most in our South African dynamic is the cultural mix of our communities, nothing expands the management landscape more than the ability to communicate across generations and cultures in one seating. We are tasked to be clear, concise and empathetic at every step or we risk leaving our most valuable people behind.
Auto translate will not assist you with the facial expressions you have to navigate during catch up sessions, as managers we need to do so much more to understand organizational behaviour in order to reach our people.
If you want sustainable differentiation, do more ‘people work’, look after your colleagues, employees, staff and labour by being the best human link in the chain of communication.
