Debra Schindler-Boultinghouse, President
I’ll start by saying that I intended to write this blog much sooner than Valentines Day, but it has truly been a whirlwind of a month. Taking my own advice from The Stay is the Game Part 1, in the past month we hired 3 new sales people, each of whom I’m very excited about. They’re bright, eager to sell, and each one brings something truly valuable to our team. There’s not much that is more heartening for me as a business owner than seeing the Genesis organization filled with people who are “all-in” on its mission. And with good reason! It’s truly exciting to see the possibilities for success laid out in front of you. But that may be a topic for another day.
What I wanted to write about today is something Genesis has done well intermittently. Something we find ourselves again refocusing on:
Dance with the one that brung ya
What I’ve found over the last year, as I’ve been strategizing and preparing to take Genesis into new industries and, hopefully, into new levels of success, is that the old Texas phrase “You gotta dance with the one who brung ya” is as true today as it ever was. I know firsthand that it’s easy to get excited about new opportunities and new directions (and there’s nothing wrong with that!). But there’s wisdom in being able to remember why you are where you are. And for Genesis: that’s business phone systems, and taking care of the customers who have bought those from us in the past.
So as much as human nature says to focus your resources on new opportunities, it’s important to take a step back and remember not to stand up the one that brung ya.
Hugs and Kisses
But how do you do that? That’s the question! At Genesis, it takes many forms.
First, one of the sales people we’ve hired is going to be the anchor of an inside sales team. That sounds a little more ruthless (in the sales sense) than it actually is. The Inside Sales team is responsible primarily for making sure our hundreds and hundreds of active accounts are happy. Is their phone system working right? Do they need to add any lines? Are they moving, and if so, can we help? Is it time to upgrade a phone system? The inside sales person is primarily consultative – there to advise, help, and if need be: sell.
Additionally, to celebrate our 30th year in business, we’re having hundreds of Genesis coffee mugs made with a custom logo, filling them with Hershey’s Kisses and Hugs, and bringing them to our customers as a little treat, to let our customers, especially ones who have been with us for 10, 20, or more years, know how much we appreciate them, and how excited we are about staying with them for another 30 years.
What about you? As a business owner, how do you make a point of taking care of your customers? Or as a customer, in what ways do you appreciate being taken care of?
On an side note:
Happy Valentines Day!
Genesis is celebrating with cake and treats, a surprise from our Structured Cabling Division!
-By Debra Schindler-Boultinghouse
