It says spring on the calendar but not outside my door, a serious disappointment.

Spring also means first quarter results are in and I hope yours were not disappointing. But, even if the numbers were good, an article by Dan Laplain this month reveals that they could probably have been much better. Dan tells of how a “hidden organization” lurking in your company is likely consuming anywhere from 20% to 40% of total revenue – obviously, a major impact on profitability.

Along these lines, we also demonstrate how much harder your sales people have to work if they slow their efforts early in the year, figuring they have months to meet annual targets. Our new, interactive sale tool will show you, and your sales executives and staff, exactly what it costs when monthly goals are not met.

Inder Chohan writes about how customers are angry and their frustration is approaching rage. Although many companies care deeply about service, too many consider the complaints desk a cost center worthy of cutting. But there is an easier way and his article on managing customer perceptions before they’re problems is vital for every reader. We wrap up the issue with a report on what a Harvard Business School guru says about how the world is changing faster than businesses can adapt.

Finally, the Interim Management Assn. just released a survey covering 1,300 assignments. It found HR is the most common job function performed (26%), followed by finance (16%), with marketing and special projects each at 15%. The top reasons for assignments were ‘change and transition management’ and ‘programme and project management’, both at 25%, followed by ‘business improvement’ (20%), ‘gap management’ (17%) and ‘crisis management’ (9%).

Before I go, I want to congratulate one of our newest Principals, Peter Oakes, on being named interim CFO at Calgary based Shift Networks Inc. on the TSX as SHF.

Regards,

Greg Petkovich
President
Atticus Interim Management

Gain A Competitive Edge By Not Feeding The Beast
By Dan Laplain

It pays to take a hard look at ways to improve your internal operations: Many companies keep feeding a “hidden organization” in their company whose profit-robbing appetite is enormous. Too often, executives fail to do anything to maximise their competitive edge.

Studies show that most business spend 20%-to-40% of their revenue feeding this hungry beast, a smorgasbord of waste. The result is that they are kept from implementing significant reductions in operating costs while risking customer satisfaction.

Read more >>>

Keeping Sales Goals From Being A Mad Dash To The Finish
By Steven Parker

The end of the first quarter means it is time to take a fresh look at your sales plan for the year. It is an opportunity to check whether the company is on track, and to re-ignite ambition.

To help you do this, we have created an interactive tool that shows the impact of not meeting monthly sales targets, revealing in hard dollars the challenge facing sales managers if annual goals are not attacked early in the year.

Read more >>>

Try the Sales Evaluator >>>

Managing Perceptions: Minimizing Customer Complaints Before They Become Problem
By Inder Chohan

Customers frustration is approaching rage. Although many companies care deeply about service, too many consider the complaints desk a cost centre worthy of cutting. But there is an easier way: Manage perceptions before they become problems.

It doesn’t necessarily mean large-scale, expensive fixes. Simple changes can leave customers feeling that suppliers care about meeting their expectations, eliminating a potential cause of many complaints.

Read more >>>

Harvard Business School Change Guru Says World Is Changing Faster Than Businesses Are Adapting

Changemesister John Kotter claims the good news is that organizations are better at managing change. The bad news is the world is changing even faster. “The data overwhelming shows that the rate of change is increasing. Many organizations just can't keep up with the speed of change.” His solution: Use outside advisors more and ensure the entire company understands the urgency.

Mr. Kotter observes that often senior management senses the importance of making changes and assumes that everyone else in the organization does, as well. But he states that, frequently, that basic assumption is a fatal flaw.

“When I talk to people two levels down, I discover that the sense of urgency is about one-fifth of what it should be,” he observes.

Read More >>>

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Atticus is a leading professional services firm dedicated to interim executive management.Interim management is a step above consulting, combining needs analysis with implemented solutions. When companies need immediate results but lack the time or in-house skills to get them, they turn to Atticus, whose team of interim executive managers achieve critical goals as much as twenty times faster than permanent senior managers.Contact us today to see how we can help you achieve key business goals faster.