Page 16 - BOSS Today Issue 38

Gem
of a
Gem
ns s s s s s s ship
Relationship
Conference of a
Relationship
nc c c c c c c ce
Conference
A review of the BOSS “Gem Of A
Relationship” Conference.

he morning of the 30th our social media takes a lot Digital Services
TNovember was cold and of time and effort, Spence Director of
clear on the banks of the encouraged us not to waste Focus7 International, to pick With the planned final
Thames in London, but there that time by ensuring that we up the theme after the lunch speaker Tony Dimech becoming
had been reports of ice and are measuring its effectiveness break by looking both at “The unavailable through illness,
snow in the northern parts by establishing goals and Opportunities & Threats Of BOSS CEO Phil Lawson once
of Britain. This could perhaps analytics: “Did that Tweet lead Social Media” and “How To again stepped in to deliver
be the reason why not all of to someone filling in a form on Manage Your CRM System at very short notice the final
the 128 delegates who had your personal contact page?”, More Effectively”. Cook began presentation, entitled “Future-
registered to attend made she asked. by identifying the three major Proofing Your Relationships
it in time for BOSS CEO Phil Dominic Wing (Higher threats of social media as its And What That Means For Our
Lawson’s welcome. & Degree Apprenticeship improper use for marketing, Industry”. In essence, Lawson
Lawson introduced the Manager at BPIF) and lack of clear guidelines/tone of explored how interpersonal
theme of the “Gem Of A Graham Curtis (a trained voice and reputational damage. relationships evolve with the
Relationship” Conference – the police negotiator) together However, he believed that these changing nature of society
strengths that dealers have in covered “How To Improve Your threats were far outweighed by and technology. Focussing on
their close relationships with Negotiation Skills”. Using a the opportunities CRM created, the extraordinary growth of
customers – and it was clear variety of interactive methods such as its ‘endless’ brand reach the power and prevalence of
that all four of the subsequent - including online polls and and its ability to help manage technology, Lawson explained
presentations were designed to role playing exercises – they the customer lifecycle. This of that this affects our own
address different aspects of this explained that people will often course led directly into Cook’s development and behaviour
in a very modern context. make decisions on factors other discussion on CRM, which he and that our work rules are
Tracy Spence, Sales & than pure economics (such described as “the hub where now changing. The “Fourth
Marketing Direct at M3 as the principle of fairness) or you store your most valuable Industrial Revolution” – the
Strategic Marketing, was first even logic, and that it was vital assets”. Acknowledging that brave new world of cyber-
up, looking at “How To Build to always consider this. They CRM can be seen as a chore physical systems, artificial
Your Personal Brand Online”. reminded us that negotiation and can contain incorrect or intelligence, the internet of
Opening by reminding us that was a skill that can be learned unverified data, Cook explained things and big data – was on
customers make business and improved and that initial that – implemented correctly our doorstep, he explained,
decisions based on their preparation was a key success - it helped to align sales and and these advances could be
perceptions of people, and factor, as was ‘give and take’ marketing to achieve the harnessed by agile dealers and
that – as a result - there was a and the understanding that ‘perfect customer journey’. cyber salespeople. Lawson
vital inter-relationship between any negotiation must recognise He showed how CRM can concluded by encouraging
personality and brand success, that future interactions with support marketing efforts by dealers to increasingly focus
she explained that if we built the customer or supplier would segmenting data to personalise on selling their customers
our personal brand wisely and always be likely. Illustrating marketing, automating lead not just products but also
in concert with our business these points, Curtis talked us nurturing, recycling sales advice – such as cyber security,
brand, it would benefit both us through a real life example of leads and securing upsell DSE healthchecks and space
and our companies. “We must an aeroplane hijack hostage opportunities. Cook finished optimisation – in order to
ensure that what we present negotiation that he had been by warning us that with GDPR become “trusted productivity
online is what our customers involved in, and explained on its way it is now even more advisors.”
perceive us to be,” she that creative thinking, important that we get our The delegates had plenty
explained, “Make sure that your teamwork and – most of all data right, because “if we do of time and opportunity to
LinkedIn profile is exceptional – empowerment were vital something wrong, the fine is consider and discuss these and
– Google tells us that it’s really elements in any successful large. Make sure you’ve got the other challenges from the
important to get this right!”. negotiator’s toolkit. your permissions right and day before the Awards Dinner
Acknowledging that managing It was given to James Cook, have got your data in order!” that evening.

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16 BOSS TODAY | December 2017/January 2018