Importance of Meeting with Customers

Starting the last week of June I have been visiting several customers per week and will continue through the summer into the fall. I have been visiting with all different customers from large to small and this has been effective for several reasons:

1. Better understand why customers choose Nortec

2. Better understand where the opportunities are and where the market is going

3. Evaluate how the sales and the technical teams are doing

4. Motivates the sales team to get out and see their customers

5. Demonstrate to the clients that we are committed and care about them

6. Opportunity to give feedback and coach the sales professionals one on one

7. Opportunity to evaluate our overall client strategy and what is working and not working

This list could go on much longer. Management meeting with customers is fundamental, 101 stuff! We are in the digital age and often email or phone customers. Phone calls and emails are not a substitute for meeting with customers!

To often management becomes very inwardly focused. It is important for senior leadership to get out to many clients on a regular basis. One challenge I have had in the past, was trying to figure out what clients I should visit and how to organize the scheduling of the meetings. The strategy that is working for me now is to target every client in a geographical area. I have an inside sales person call down and line up the meetings in that area and then move to the next area. They end up with a random sampling of clients based on who they are able to contact and who is willing to meet that week. This experience has been very rewarding and gives me energy!