Ideas I Haven't Thought of Yet
By HRG's Dave Wendland for HealthCare Distributor
[BACK]
February 2012 – This month’s column begins with a slightly exaggerated story of inspiration and some powerful food for thought.
Once upon a time …
The meeting was sailing along like many in the past. As my father and his team made their presentations, they could sense that the clients were paying attention more as a courtesy than from sincere interest. These executives had obviously sat through other presentations from other distributors promising on-time delivery, first class service, and an impressive array of products. They were understandably numbed by predictability and unimpressed with the mundane elements of supply chain management.
Turning to my father, the key decision maker of the team was clearly poised to thank my dad and his team for coming and for presenting their capabilities without any further discussions. But my father — wise and experienced — and recognizing that the “pitch” his team had just delivered offered few substantial points of differences, coyly asked, “What’s truly the biggest business issue that confronts you each day?”
Then, it happened …
Surprised by such an open-ended question, the executive answered, “Losing a major client relationship without forewarning or preparation.” After a short pause my father said, “I have an idea that just may help"... read full story