The peoples’ aspirations it seems !! Democracy? Should the govt bow down to these hooligans on the streets vandalizing properties, throwing stones, torching police cars, causing traffic jams, cutting access to airports and paralyzing business activities? At this point, it is not anymore whether the fuel price should increase or not. The point is – it is simply deplorable and embarrassing on the manner these demonstrations have been conducted. Vandalism and violence are not signs of nationalism or patriotism. It is more like “gangsterism” . And the whole world is watching. May God help us in Indonesia who love the country and just wish to see the country grow in the true sense of independence, clean prosperity and stability …. free of illogical acts of creating a social problem and tarnishing the country’s international business reputation in the false pretext of voicing the aspirations of the “rakyat”.

Regretfully  & dissappointedly yours,

Willie

30 March 2012

One must really listen in order to learn …..

When one is capable of continuous learning (despite age and seniority),

 …….then he is able to serve …..

When one is capable of  humbly serving  ….. only then will he be able to lead …

       (Otherwise, he will not be able to teach others how to serve)

Then he must coach his subordinates to listen and serve even better …..

And the cycle goes on ………

A leader’s job is to create even better leaders than he himself !!

Add integrity and discipline to the whole process above  ……….. and we will develop winning sincere individuals  ??

Willie @ 1 Jan 2012

Indonesia ……..one of the most promising economy in Asia is certainly progressing positively forward in areas of business evolution and development. With a population of more than 230 million people, the potential and opportunities ahead are abundant. Depending on the market segment that one wants to penetrate, it is then important to identify a long term strategy and business practice (other than product and price ; which by default need to be great) to ensure continuous growth.

In looking at Niro Indonesia, we have noted that the business revolves around 2 key important factors.

They are :

a) Niro Indonesia is currently very much a B2B business. (selling products and concepts to dealers, retailers, IDs, architects)

b) The targeted consumer segment would be the middle/upper class customer type.

Hence, we felt that for us to gain competitive advantage over our rivals (who could be cheaper than us and could develop new products as good as ours), we have to work very hard in excelling our “services rendered” to our customers. The business-culture of “wanting to serve passionately from our hearts” must exist within every employee in the company. In this context, we must be able to exceed our customers’ expectations every time and create a positive “Niro Experience” for them at every point of the business – from design, plan and spec, promotion, sales transaction, distribution, logistics, technical support, installation supervision, right up to after-sales services. Most importantly, we need to make our customers feel that we “care for them” and we bring value to them personally and professionally besides merely just trying to conclude a sale.

When we serve a retailer, we could offer services such as training for their staff, getting involved in their promotion & marketing communication program, jointly analyzing their business for them, giving prompt responses to their requests, providing free design services and having our own Niro-Sales-Promoter at their store to support their sales. This is then truly “pampering” them and being totally immersed in their business (as if it is our own). Whilst in the process of “pampering” our customers, we must of course also maintain a strict level of discipline and professionalism to ensure that these retailers are not taking advantage of us. Hence, a continuous demand for higher targets (growth is a must) and a feedback process mechanism must be in place to ensure common understanding and platform of operational needs. In the long run, we then hope to develop a strong partnership with the “right people” who appreciates our professionalism/services and respects us for what we are doing for them and their business. Then, as the reliance for one another strengthens and the synergy improves, the task of influencing and convincing them of our new future strategies will become less difficult as TRUST for one another solidifies. Further, when the element of TRUST exists, we will naturally “care for one another”. This in it-self will present a platform for us to be able to communicate challenging issues and handle criticism openly. Immediate actions can then be taken to ensure weaknesses are overcome quickly (speed) on either party.

The little things in life matters …

Customers, no matter how hard, difficult and demanding they are, they do also have a soft and sentimental side. Most of them do anyway.

Hence, going out of our way to do little things like sending them a birthday greeting, remembering their spouse’s birthday, sending them a bouquet of flowers on their wedding anniversary, sending them a photo of themselves taken at special moments – all adds up to the bonding process that will stretch far beyond having just a professional relationship. True sincerity such as this, with a genuine wish to bring a smile or a cheer onto our customers’ face and hearts are true “personal touches” that will lighten up their day. Isn’t it a great feeling if we can bring a little joy and happiness to someone without any expectations? Wouldn’t it be great if a customer becomes our friend ?

Heart & Culture

It is very difficult for us to teach someone “how to smile sincerely”. Experienced and sensitive business people can smell hypocrisy a mile away. Services rendered must be genuinely aimed at wanting to solve the customers’ problems. Infact, a great place to start would be to ensure that we serve our “internal customers (colleagues)” with our hearts. Be strong in our commitment to one another ; meet our deadlines and be accountable to our tasks at hand. Be prepared to admit mistakes and be prepared to change continuously as we evolve and find better ways to do things. Do not be defensive and do care for others the way we would want others to care for us. With strong teamwork and everyone working in harmony, the strength of the company becomes so much more powerful.

We ourselves are customers to many products and services ………

Isn’t it a pleasure to buy from someone who genuinely cares and listen to us versus from some fast-talking sales person who only has his own commission in his mind? Wouldn’t it be true that we would pay a premium for better services? Aren’t we sometimes encouraged/motivated to change our minds from our “originally intended purchase plan (product or services) ” to “another plan which we never thought of in the first place” because we felt that the sales-person knew what he was doing and provided a better caring solution for us ? Ultimately, as a customer, what we feel is important and our hearts play a major role in our decision making process. The intangible “element of trust” and “the need for being taken care of” sometimes take priority over price and product type. (This would be especially true to middle and upper class customers where their affordability-window is much wider).

Hence, when we sell, we also then need to use our hearts to touch our customers’ hearts.

A business professor may chose to challenge the above idealism and perhaps even tag the writings above as being naïve. How do we infact measure or put a KPI on serving customers with our hearts ? How do we measure a smile? Do we count the birthday greetings we send out ?

Well, I don’t know ……

All I know is that when we make a person “feel good” about buying Niro, then we have created a selling advantage for future repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals.

Just an opinion

28 Aug 2011

Rebi 2011 …

Niro Granite wins for the 2nd consecutive year ……..

Nice ……

Help others while respecting their dignity. Offering assistance to colleagues is ethical. But, no matter how well intended, the offer could come off as patronizing. Balance your desire to help with their need for self-respect.

HBR May 25, 2011

Recruit for Attitude First!
by Wong Lai Chun (Global Master Trainer of SERVICE FIRST)

Recruitment advertisements often emphasize the skills and experience required to apply for a job. This is understandable, but is also a mistake. Organizations should place more emphasis on recruiting the right attitudes during the hiring process. When you want to build an uplifting service culture, attitudes can be even more important than skills.

A great attitude accelerates an employee’s ability to contribute valuable results. A great attitude also has a multiplier effect, uplifting the moods and attitudes of every other member on your team.
One key component in a great attitude is “willingness”. Willingness means being pro-active and resourceful, finding ways to excel in different circumstances.

The three important elements include:

1. Willingness to Adapt
No organization operates in a static environment. The willingness to be flexible and adapt can be a strong impetus to achieving tangible and valuable results. When a person is highly skilled – but insists on doing things “the usual way” – using only those skills he is already comfortable using, this itself can become an obstacle.
The willingness to adapt is essential to meet continuous changes in technology competition, and customer expectations.

2. Willingness to Make Improvements
One part of good employee performance is the ability to make improvements over time. In a changing world, if an employee feels there is no need to make improvements in any aspect of his work, poor performance evaluations are sure to follow.
The willingness to make improvements also requires seeking feedback from colleagues and customers, asking for opportunities to do even better in the future. Asking “Is there anything I can do next time to make it even better for you?” is a powerful way to gain insight and ideas that lead to higher value performance and results.

3. Willingness to Listen
Candidates in an interview are often gauged on their ability to communicate, and their articulation is carefully evaluated when they speak. But listening skills are equally important – and for many service roles an even more important critera!
The best articulators may not necessarily be the best listeners. The willingness to actively listen to the concerns of customers and colleagues is crucial to deliver more valuable service. Only by listening carefully to what is being said – and unsaid – can a service provider appreciate the subtleties of each person’s preferences and priorities, customizing their service to deliver maximum value.
This value can be measured in tangible results including rankings and reputation, pricing and profitability, customer loyalty and employee satisfaction.

Attitude Contributes to Culture
When building an Uplifting Service Culture, recruitment for attitude is more important than prior existing skills. Skills can be taught, coached, developed and improved. Attitudes can change, too, but it takes a lot more effort.
It’s true that an Uplifting Service Culture can lift the spirit of everyone at work. But who do you want to hire next? Someone technically skilled who brings the mood down, or someone naturally up who makes your culture stronger?
The choice is yours. We recommend hiring for attitude first.

 When CHANGE takes place, people in authority (who are against changes) will feel pressurized and perhaps having their egos challenged.

Then their true self will reveal itself through their actions of defensiveness and verbal attacks on small issues that clouds the overall winning possibilities. No plans are ever perfect ….. and one can find flaws if they wish to even on the best well conceived plans !! Easily too !!

One can then judge if there are elements of sincerity and integrity in one’s actions ; to support or reject change. Often, in the winds of change, we (who do not resist change) will find our true direction, support and friends …..

Is it about preserving one’s dignity, maintaining self esteem ……… which are ok …. …………….. versus wanting popularity and being vain ………

People can see our actions …… and certainly one’s ACTIONS will surely speak louder than one’s words ….. (positive or negative).

17 April 2011 @ 6.30 pm

If you are feeling stretched and work is challenging ……. then your existence in the company is still needed. Persevere on to add value and rise to the occasion. Display leadership.

If work is easy and you have very little complications in managing work ……. then perhaps you are either a rich owner, not needed anymore, on the road nearing retirement, not being given enough responsibilities by your superiors as they doubt your capabilities or you are simply not thinking hard enough nor committed to improve status quo.

“Real Work” is a continuous challenge and hardly easy. FACE it !!

By the way ……………. I am also “talking to myself”.

Occasionally, one has to practice forced & purposeful humility even when one’s ego gets bruised. It breaks the defensive walls of your “opponent” and often results in better understanding and appreciation of challenges at hand.

 Willie @ 3 March 2011

In this very competitive business world, one has to compete aggressively to win (against competition, climbing the corporate ladder against peers and colleagues, against company divisions etc). One has to have a good strategy. One has to know one’s competition. One has to have differentiation. Nothing new, we have all heard or read this from management and marketing books. It’s actually pretty basic and fundamental.

What we seldom read about or being taught would be “the need to compromise on one’s integrity or do whatever it takes to win”. We were never taught that we had to be sneaky and be hypocrites to influence and convince someone or a situation. Perhaps these traits can only be picked up by a person who has personally been harmed previously by someone unscrupulous.

The world today has few good men. Sadly, we meet lots of people who are not entirely sincere, with hidden agendas and will do harm to us in order to achieve their own selfish goals. Perhaps, this was what made them successful before. Perhaps in their minds, they cannot win if they compete fairly without deception and they would in-fact be naïve to believe that competition will not do deceitful acts to beat them. They would think that competition has no business ethics nor will they compete professionally. If competition beats them, competition must surely have undertaken some corrupt practices or taken some unethical steps to win. They are unable to acknowledge that competition has won fairly; as (in their minds) winning in such a manner never existed.

So, what do we do?

– Do we need to be twice as sneaky to win?

– Do we have to be hypocrites …… and be deceitful by telling a twisted sales pitch?

– Do we pretend and wear a mask? A devil in disguised as an angel?

– Or should we be naïve and hold on to our “idealism of integrity”; fight our battles upfront openly, professionally, hoping that we would still come up tops?

Sure, our goal ultimately is to beat competition!! And with the common saying of “it takes a thief to catch another thief”, should we then be naïve to believe that dignity and integrity will have an edge over people who resort to stabbing from the back?

We ask ourselves ……… am I naïve ….. isn’t winning the most important thing, regardless of how we stab competition? A stab is a stab. Is there such a thing as a “respectable” stab?

Well, after all the writings above, I’d surely prefer to be naïve than ever to be called a “coward back stabbing person” with no integrity. I’d rather fight my battle like a gentleman and win in a dignified manner. I will not deceive anyone by preaching something that is wrong to throw people (customers, peers, colleagues) off-course. I will not advise people to practice a certain behavior and I myself practice exactly the opposite. I will not have doubts and be suspicious on others if they have beaten me fairly. Instead, I should look at myself to see how I could be better in future.

Yes I am naïve and Thank GOD for that!!

Hence, if I do not win in a sales career or beat my peers for an upward promotion that I want due to my idealism of keeping my integrity intact, then perhaps I’d change jobs.

(How we behave at work would also be most likely how we would behave at home) At least, I know that I am not teaching nor giving an example to my younger staff or more importantly my children to be a deceitful, hypocritical back stabbing coward.

Hopefully they will grow up to be sincere, honest individuals (maybe naïve) that people will respect.

Lastly, in John Murphy’s book – INTEGRITY is a LEADERSHIP essential that provides great competitive advantage because it is most difficult to copy. It cannot be faked or manipulated. It just glows within you. We are then deemed to be trustworthy and authentic (vs. fake)!!

 Cheers, 11 Feb 2011 – dedicated to a sales team I know facing a “musuh di dalam selimut” situation. (“enemy under the blanket”) translated literally!!