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Posts under ‘Customers and Sales’

Top tips – Understanding your most important customers

“Whilst telephone research, website surveys, questionnaires etc all have their place this is not good enough for key accounts – in the same way that members of staff get an annual appraisal, key accounts should get an annual face to face appraisal carried out by a senior executive.” says Phil Jesson of Key Account Specialists […]

Customer loyalty obviously isn’t important to some… Derek Williams (WOW awards)

Derek Williams, founder of The WOW! Awards for Outstanding Customer Service We all know of organisations that don’t care about customer loyalty from their customers.  There are little signals:- The hotel restaurant that cannot serve breakfast to customers arriving at 9.05 am.  “We stop doing breakfasts at 9!” The supermarket where employees are more interested […]

Systematically Delighting Your Customers

Academy Team for The Bottom Line Solutions 4 Cleaning won the British Chambers of Commerce business award for Excellence in Customer Service in 2011 against considerable opposition which included Marriott Hotels and BT. Kevin Kerley, who has since exited the business but remains in close contact with them, explained to me that for a small, […]

Making Good Use Of Time by Joe Adams

Ever hear someone say, “I could sell more if I had more time,” or “I wish I had the time to go after that sale”? Don’t believe such words. People make time to do the things they really want to do. And salespeople are no different than others in finding that time. Nobody should have […]

Being Chosen from the Crowd by Brian Chernett

I was at Fresh Business Thinking Live recently in Old Billingsgate in London. The event was well attended and most of the people I saw there seemed to be optimistic and positive about their future. There were five streams running and only an Agenda listing to choose from. It was not always easy to choose […]

Don’t Stand Up – Stand Out! by Phil Jesson

Many companies that claim to be “thought leaders” with a highly differentiated offering are nothing of the sort. A little scrutiny reveals that they are often “me-too” companies with a “we are one of many” and “we are no better or no worse than anyone else” message. So what is it that allows a company […]

Some only need it. Others really want it. by Derek Williams

Derek Williams, Founder and Chief Executive of The WOW! Awards shares some thoughts on great service. Losing weight, giving up smoking, getting a better education, getting a better job. Some people only need it. Others really want it. And so it is with customer service. Some organisations really need to give better service. Their customers […]

See Your Business with Fresh Eyes by Brian Chernett

When markets are tough, as they are at the moment, we need every bit of help to make sure our businesses continue to trade. Perhaps now is a good time to experience your business as a customer might and pick up on those areas where things have begun to slip. As a retail manager, I […]

Salesmen and Saleswomen: We Salute You

The Academy for Chief Executives, a leading provider of experiential business learning® facilitates groups of CEOs and Managing Directors who meet together every month to network and take full advantage of experiential learning. Part of membership involves members taking their issues to the table and discussing them with their peers. This month, one of my […]