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What our Customers have to say!
When asked about lessons
learned, these were take-a-ways from a recent "Creative Sales
and Marketing â„¢ Workshop:
Creative marketing
Ideas that can be implemented quickly
Made me think about how to measure the numbers
Planning and implementation
The value of planning and practicing
Managing the numbers and data
Marketing whenever and wherever
All of the valuable lessons
Planning and implementation
Don't be afraid to spend money and be creative
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Champions of Extreme
Customer Service!
Don't
forget to submit your true stories of "Extreme Customer
Service"
$200 to the
Quarterly Winner and $500 to the 2010 Champion!
Submit Story Here
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Innovative Business
Partners Inc.
1-877-521-2580
PO Box 60523
Worcester, MA 01606
www.contactibp.com
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IBP on the road!
If you would like to catch IBP on the road, Joe will be
speaking at the following events:
International
Association of Professional Security Consultants
April 27, 2010
Savanna, GA
IAPSC Website
Galaxy Control Systems
Dealer Convention and 35th Anniversary
May 3-5, 2010
Washington, DC
Galaxy Website
If you have any interest
in our coaching services, workshops or seminars, contact us at www.contactibp.com
or contact Joe
clouatrej@contactibp.com
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What a Great Guy!
My wife
was at the dentist last week and I was in the waiting room. I
overheard the dentist speaking with his administative person, who
said she was having difficulty collecting money from a patient.
I have
always thought the denist was a nice guy, but what I heard next
confimed it. The dentist said "Write it off, they are really
nice people". When was the last time you heard that?
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Name This Car!
Please
name the make and model of this car to be entered into our $50.00
Home Depot Gift Card Give-a-way!
Click Here To Enter Contest
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Dear Joseph Clouatre,
I can't believe that is has been two weeks since our
last e-newsletter. I wanted to share a story from a Creative Team
Building Workshop I conducted last week. I started off by reading
one of my favorite stories "Acres
of Diamonds".
The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a
visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds.
Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African
continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions
of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to
the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years
slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds and wealth,
which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw
himself into a river and drowned.
Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking
rock, about the size of a country egg, and put it on his mantle as
a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by, and in viewing the rock,
practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner
of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the
biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm
said, "Heck, the whole farm is covered with them" - and
sure enough it was.
The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine...the richest
the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally
standing on "Acres of Diamonds" until he sold his farm.
To teach a brainstorming technique, I then asked the class to state
for what or for whom they were thankful in their company. We went
from person to person, and if no one had a thought, they could
"Pass" until the next round. We continued until everyone
passed. I do not know how many times we went around the room, but
it took almost 40 minutes. In the end, we had over two pages of
things for which they were thankful.
Their organization is no different than most, with too much work
spread over too few people and a tremendous amount of stress. However,
when they stopped to think about it, they had much to be thankful
for! Several people commented on how great this exercise was for
them. When was the last time your group sat down to talk about all
the things they are thankful for in your organization?
clouatrej@contactibp.com  or www.contactibp.com
Joseph E. Clouatre
President/CEO
Check out our contest below!
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Recently a security integrator was asked
for cash from his client to award a contract to him. I
found this article from three months ago and thought it was
appropriate. It all started with $200.00. In the end the security
integrator was convicted before the banking client. The client
faces up to 63 years in prison. Navarrete, 45, owner of Integrity
Security Solutions, was charged with five counts of bank fraud,
five counts of bank bribery and five counts of structuring monetary
transactions.
Security director pocketed kickbacks from security systems
integrator
Chicago Tribune
Updated: 10-2-2009 12:52 pm
Oct. 2--A man who once oversaw security for LaSalle Bank pleaded
guilty Thursday to pocketing kickbacks to steer millions of dollars
in contracts to a suburban security company.
George Konjuch, 56, of Des Plaines pleaded guilty to one count each
of bribing a bank official, bank fraud and tax fraud, according to
prosecutors. Konjuch, who didn't reach a plea deal with prosecutors,
faces up to 63 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 13.
Konjuch was charged in 2007 with soliciting $400,000 in kickbacks
to steer bank security business to Armando Navarrete, who owned
Integrity Security Solutions of Wood Dale. A jury convicted
Navarrete this summer.
Konjuch, a former first vice president in charge of security at
LaSalle, began pocketing bribes of $200 a month in 2000, but the
amount later soared to $44,000 a month, prosecutors said.
Konjuch, 54, of Des Plaines was charged with five counts of bank
fraud, five counts of bank bribery and two counts of federal income
tax fraud.
Navarrete, 45, of Bloomingdale was charged with five counts of bank
fraud, five counts of bank bribery and five counts of structuring
monetary transactions.
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How
to retain or save valuable employees!
For years I have been saying that companies lose
valuable employees that they should not. Most of the time they
burn out employees, fail to communicate with them, or do not
clearly define their expectations. As a result, communications
break down, relationships are lost and the employee either quits or
is fired. I often witness this in many companies and over the
past two years, I have been asked if I would coach several
employees in the danger zone. After a few months of coaching
communications were established, expectations were set and the
employees were back on track. One person went from terrible to
terrific in record time. If you think about the cost savings by
saving a valuable employee there is huge return on your investment.
You may save recruiting and advertising costs, months of training
costs plus you cannot place a price tag on the person's years of
experience within the corporation. What if the new hire does
not work out and you have to start over? How about the
distraction for the owner or manager that has to train and coach
the new person? So if we can help you save a valuable employee it
is "priceless". Since our first experience in this area
we have helped save numerous employees and improved relationships
with their managers or employers. Recently I was working with
someone and they said with a smile on their face, that I was
acting like a mediator. Another person mentioned that I was like a
counselor. Whatever you call it, we are able to reconnect people
and get them back on track!
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Selecting
an electronic security integrator - the world of warranties!
I received an e-mail last week from someone who
receives our newsletter. That person said that they are going out
to bid and have been printing each issue of our newsletter to help
them with the bidding process. I am glad this is helpful, but I am
just touching the surface. I actually conduct a four hour workshop
on Selecting and Partnering with an Electronic Security Integrator.
If you are looking for a new electronic security integrator,
there are many things to remember. Over the next few issues of the IBP
Educator, we will outline many questions to consider. Even
when I ran an electronic security company, I continued to select
security integrators all over the country for my clients. I
continue this practice today, as a service of IBP.
So let's take a look at the world of warranties. As you travel
around the country you will find product warranties ranging from
ninety days to five years. Labor warranties will generally range
from ninety days to twelve months. There are a few companies that
provide a "Lifetime Workmanship Warranty"!
Although the labor warranty can vary, the product
warranty should not. Today, many of the manufacturers provide three
to five year warranties on their products, but the integrators may
only give you a twelve month warranty. They do not always pass
along the factory warranty to their customers. So when you ask
about pricing, have the integrator provide you with the factory
warranty information for each component of the systems. By doing
this, you may save thousands of dollars by gaining years of
warranty that you might not have otherwise received.
Here is a great question to ask the service provider when it comes
to warranties:
When does the warranty begin?
When they issue the purchase order?
After substantial completion?
Once training is complete?
Once the as-built drawings are delivered?
or
After all of the above is completed and you
have signed off accepting the installation?
How
does this affect you?
It does not affect you right
now, but it will affect you in twelve months when something goes
wrong.
If you don't document this correctly, it could
cost you thousands of dollars in a year.
You want to have the answers to these questions BEFORE you hire
your next integrator.
Next issue we will talk about factory training!!
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Thanks for taking the time to read our newsletter.
We value your input and suggestions. If there are any topics
that you would like covered, just let us know. Please feel free to
pass our newsletter along to anyone you feel might enjoy it.
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Joseph E. Clouatre
Innovative Business Partners, Inc.
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