Mark Cuban's 12 Rules for Startups

Here are some helpful tips from a guy that knows a few things about startups.

Mark Cuban's 12 Rules for Startups from Anthony Requia

7 Primary Drivers of Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is certainly one of the biggest challenges any business faces, especially in a growing economy and an increasingly competitive marketplace. Human Resources should be seen by business leaders as a partner, working together to understand employee needs and foster an environment where employees are engaged, feel valued and are put in a position to to do their best work and be rewarded for it.

7 Primary Driver of Employee Engagement from BambooHR

Five Things That Changed In The Sales Industry In 2015

Over the years, things like the mode of communication and marketing strategy have dramatically changed the sales industry as a result of advancements in technology. The sales industry is comprised of both the sellers and buyers and in the year 2015, we saw several interesting changes in the sales industry that benefit the buyer:

Customer Service

Customer service is a vital part of the sales process and is essential to the success of a long term relationship between the buyer and the seller. With the evolution of the internet and the access to information such as review sites, customer service is becoming more and more comprehensive to cater to the unique needs of the customer and the growing competition in the marketplace.

Inside Sales

By definition, inside sales refers to the practice of selling products or services by phone or email, instead of meeting a customer face-to-face. This strategy depends heavily on telecommunications, email and internet to reach customers. Inside sales is actually one of the biggest transformations in the industry out of sheer convenience to the customer.Platforms such as GoToMeeting are making it even easier to connect with clients without having to travel. To date, this strategy has had significant impact on the sales discipline by increasing specialization and bettering access to resources as physical locations become less relevant.

Sales Territories

Sales territories are dying. Nowadays, a seller cannot control a certain geographical location single-handedly. The days where a seller dominated a specific area are long gone thanks to advancements in technology. For sellers of intangible goods like software or other internet based services, geographical proximity between sellers and buyers is a non-factor.

Evolution of the Gamification technology to Rewardification

Gamification involved rewarding people with virtual trophies and badges when they performed well. However, experts in the sales industry have recognized that the future of motivational technologies lies in rewardification. Rewardification involves rewarding people with things like better leads, which translates to potential compensation increases, making it a very powerful motivational tool.

Need for Speed during Sales

Speed is slowly becoming less important in driving sales especially when it comes to inside sales. Technology such as auto-dialing software allow inside sales reps to essentially do more with less by being more efficient in placing calls to prospects and converting them to sales. There are more technologically advanced tools that have evolved to help the sales personnel to do more within a short time frame. However speed without control can lead to chaos and a customer service nightmare! Sales leaders need to balance efficiency with control, ensuring the increased activity is producing the desired results.

The changes we saw in 2015 all come back to the customer. In order to remain competitive, organizations need to continue to make changes that better serve the customer. Good selling will always win out and the bar is going to be even higher in 2016.

Mentorship

As exciting as it is to be part of a company in the digital marketing and technology space, the most rewarding aspect of the work I do takes place in our call center. Managing people isn't always easy. In fact, I think as a business leader, we have all had at least one challenging experience related to employee relations that we wish we had handled differently. Those are certainly the situations I've learned from the most and stick with me to this day.

However, what I have come to realize in recent years is the importance of mentoring and providing guidance to the young people that I work with. The entry level positions in our call center create an excellent opportunity for students and newly independent adults to gain experience in a professional environment, and we as managers, have a responsibility to lead by example.

As someone who describes himself as a "reformed mischief-maker", I understand the impact that a lack of mentorship and guidance can have on a young adult. Making mistakes is a part of growing up, however, most young people don't truly grasp the magnitude of how much the choices they make in their teens and early twenties will influence the direction their life moves in.

We have a responsibility as business leaders to create an environment and a culture that fosters creativity and provides the framework for which young people can identify their strengths and weaknesses and acquire the tools and resources to become productive adults. 

The call center industry, for the longest time, has had a reputation as a high-pressure sales environment where people burn out and turnover frequently. For some it's a foot in the door and a stepping stone to management and other opportunities for growth within the company, but for most, the position is viewed as a way to make a living while pursuing school and other interests. Regardless of short or long-term goals, we view it as an opportunity to thrive in a structured, organized environment where interpersonal skills can be developed. 

Learning to work within a diverse group, while setting goals and maintain quotas are all skills that employees can take with them long after their time at the company has come to an end and each organization should find ways to train and develop employees of all levels. Our people are our most valuable asset and we have to constantly be working to train and develop them and provide the mentorship and life skills that will last a lifetime.