Jaime Polo's Blog

(Para leer este artículo en español, pulse aquí.)

There are some situations in which it’s really easy to create a disappointed client, specially in front-line jobs. But it’s not usually employee’s fault, we have to blame the manager.

It is very important to design a customer service department from the customers’ point of view, not from employee’s most suitable job performance point of view.

Sometimes, employees have to deal with long queues, if a good customer service hasn’t been implemented, then they tend to optimize their jobs in order to become more productive. As it happened to me, the employee could serve 10 coffees at the same time but the queue didn’t disappear, it turned from waiting for ordering to waiting for receiving the order. Customers got angry and the problem was still there.

(Para leer este artículo en español, pulse aquí.)

Focusing on business, making promises and keeping them is a difficult relationship because as more promises you make, the harder it is to keep them.

This becomes specially difficult in the market. In order to attract customers, you have to make promises and create expectations. If your promises are below competitors’, your potential customers will go to them. On the other hand, if your promises are over competitors’ but you cannot make them real, your customers will be disappointed and no longer will buy from you.

As a marketer, you have to create a balance between the promises made and the ones you can perform. It is much better that your customers get a “wow” with previous low expectations than it is to simply accomplish expectations. Perhaps, it is better to have less customers but more loyal.

(Para leer este artículo en español, pulse aquí.)

This statement must be applied to all facets of business and life.

If you, as a business or person, break your promises down, you will lose trust from friends, customers, employees or followers.

Many people don’t think in subconscious consequences of this act, specially with friends and employees. The persistent act of failing to keeping promises creates a deep wound in friends’ feelings. If you maintain this behavior, sales will go down, friends will not trust you anymore, and employees will be angry.

Last friday, I visited two different banks. My purpose was to find a suitable bank account with no banking fees. The first one I visited had a product perfect for small businesses. The second one, though, didn’t.

It’s easy, if the situation is tough, you’re not going to get more clients and revenue if you don’t adapt your products to the demand. I wasn’t asking for a all-free-services, but, at least, I was looking for my basic movements to not being charged.

That’s why it is very important to analyse your customers and the market, because not doing it will make you lose money. Moreover, you have to find out what your clients value. For instance, a bank account with no maintenance fees and no fees for the first credit card are really good characteristics of a bank product in a tough economy.

I would like to detail the tasks I carried out at Fischer during that time. My responsibilities were around two big product categories: screws and drill bits. My position was Product Manager, within the Marketing department. My main tasks were:

ANALYSIS

• Sales analysis per product, per sales rep, per channel, etc.
• Competition analysis (product test, price comparison, surveys)
• Consumer analysis with phone interviews.
• Analysis of best sales arguments and techniques with interviews and in-person observation.

PRODUCT STRATEGY

DAILY TASKS

• Solving unexpected problems related to products (quality issues, stockouts, etc.)
• Control of order points.
• Creation and management of articles at SAP.
• Email communications to sales team.
• Keynotes to sales team.
• Composition of briefings for design team.

My job at Fischer reached the end on July 2011. It was a 10 months job in which I was supported and helped by many people. Without them all these goals wouldn’t have been accomplished, I have to thank them for advising and guiding me. As well, some of them become friends. Fortunately, we have achieved great results during this time, some of them are the followings:

• 10% increase of drill bits sales.
• Release of new and innovative products, specially in drill bits category.
• 30% increase of screws sales.
• Creation of new packaging for screws.

Since September 1st 2010, I am the Product Manager of fixing systems at Fischer Ibérica, S.A., the Fischerwerke’s subsidiary in Spain. Fischer is a company that mainly produces all kind of fixing systems. The founder of the company, Mr Arthur Fischer, invented the nylon plug.

Nowadays, the company produces and distributes all kind of fixing systems, such as nylon-made, metal-made and chemical fixing systems. Fischer also offers glues and other construction’s auxiliary products. You can find more information about the company at fischerwerke.de or fischer.es.

Specifically, I am responsible for more than 200 products, there are included the most important: fixing systems. I am totally sure that it will be a great experience, I will learn a lot and I will have a great time. You will find posts about this venture under the category “Fischer“.

During this summer I have been defining all the procedures of the production department. It has been very interesting due to its importance when growing the company. The best way to define them is by doing a project and writing all the actions carried out during it. This method takes up a lot of time but it’s a good investment for the future.

I don’t think many service companies have their own procedures manual in order to make the company more efficient. The fact that makes you focus your best resources to the most important actions is fascinating. Dividing the process in smaller steps increases productivity and reduces costs.

In my job at Costa, after visiting different cities throughout Spain, like Zaragoza, Albacete, Bilbao, Santander, I have closed my first sale. It took place in Santander, a big independent supermarket has bought us 6 boxes of 10 briks*, it is a very nice supermarket with exclusive products. I have to point out that our products are positioned in the high quality segment.

Our sales strategy is divided in three steps:

Segmentation: We first segment our possible clients in large chains, small chains and independent supermarkets. In my job our target are independent supermarkets.

Offer: After identifying our target, I visit them and I present our products, as well, I give them a sample.  Since ours is a small company, we cannot afford a large promotion campaign, therefore, we know our products are really good and we usually get new customers by giving them samples.

Lead development and sales close: Afterwards, back in the office, I contact them asking for feedback. I have to say that I closed more sales but our sales conditions made them impossible. Otherwise, I managed to change our sales conditions and now we are able to sale less boxes at the first purchase.

* brik: a Tetra Pak packaging for liquids.

I have had the first meeting with our Advertising Agency. During the meeting I have learned that you must have a marketing plan and a brand strategy. If you don’t have them, you don’t know exactly which are the benefits of your product or brand and who is your target. It is important because, even if it’s on your mind, you must have guidelines and principles which drive you and make you more productive, and, in case of doubt, you can consult them and make a better decision.

Also, I have learned that you cannot exclude potential consumers by insinuating that your product is not for them. It is better to not limit your target and to promote the benefits of your product that may impact potential consumers.