Making the Shift to the New Era of Online Business | Web 3.0 Anyone?

Making the Shift to the New Era of Online Business

Wasn’t it just last year that we all got our arms around Web 2.0? This notion that the web could be interactive, collaborative and generally more interoperable went a long way toward powering the likes of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

We all jumped on the social media bandwagon with the excitement of a busload of sugar-jacked kindergarteners heading for the zoo until someone popped up and asked, “But how do I make money on that?” This sobering question brought it all back into perspective for us, removing the hype and helping to understand just how Web 2.0 can be leveraged to change the way we do business.

Web 3.0 is about Meaningful Information
Though definitions vary, Web 3.0 is often referred to as “Semantic Web.” As the name implies, the idea is to give “meaning” to the information that can be gleaned from the web. Google CEO Eric Schmidt defines it as “applications that are pieced together,” where apps are relatively small, device independent, fast and customizable, and the data is in the cloud.

How does Web 3.0 improve business?
The idea is to make it easier for computers to understand and interpret web-based data. Having machine-understandable “descriptions” of the data will aid search engines and therefore, all of us, in finding relevant, meaningful information that can be put to use for better searches, improved business intelligence and general data mash-ups.

Think of it like adding intelligence and personalization to your search. Now who wouldn’t want that?

New Company Blog

At long last, we have created a public-facing company blog. Great tidbits on the technology we implement and support. Take a look!

Parkinson's Law applied to Project Management

Cyril Northcote Parkinson posits in a 1995 essay for The Economist that, “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” He went on to provide a mathematical equation that was used to show the rate at which bureaucracies bloat over time. (I love Wikipedia..) What is the implication for completion times of project tasks? Assume that a particular task estimated to take 7 days actually is completed in four days, does the performer deliver it to the next resource person? Not likely. Because the time estimates given are negotiated numbers, reporting an early finish of a task means that future estimate given by the project worker will be trimmed by the manager. To avoid this possibility, rather than report early task completion, the worker is likely to spend the extra time performing checks and adding nice to have "bells and whistles" not strictly required by the specifications. Result? Extra time gained is wasted. The key here is to be aware of this phenomenon and guard against it by getting early completions identified, taking advantage of the resulting schedule slack.

Optimism is a Strategy

"Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so. If you assume there is no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope. If you assume there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there’s a chance you may contribute to making a better world. The choice is yours." - Noam Chomsky

My coach, Tony Mayo, shared this quote that made an impression on me when I read it but has become even more poigniant as our current economic catastrophe unfolds. Albeit easy to slip into Pollyanna territory, as is my typical wont, there is some validity to keeping a positive perspective as a guiding light through the pall of this financial chaos. I see it not as turning a blind eye toward reality but simply coloring in one's perspective, remaining focused and as a result getting through. We could choose to waste our time wringing our hands offering no effort to improve our results. However, with a collective optimistic focus, we spend our limited bandwidth creating a better future.

It's in the DNA..

Our consultants are the face of the company to our clients. As with any services-oriented firm, any customer interaction with the consulting team has the potential to generate new and interesting work or to cause a breakdown in the relationship. A focus on customer satisfaction is critically important to our success and forms the foundation upon which our consulting practices are built. I find that it is much easier to train on the mechanics of a consulting role (the software and processes) than it is to develop an individual's service orientation. Providing good customer services is either there or it is not. We have parents to thank for that. Selection is the key. Find a way to select the people who can do the job who possess an obvious service orientation in their DNA. Is the candidate polite to the reception folks? Do they smile easily? Do they maintain a positive attitude when talking about prior work experiences? Is ample time spent talking about how they met or exceeded customer expectations? Probing deeper on quick responses can help illuminate a true service orientation or make it clear when someone is simply well-rehearsed. If it is there, it needs to be uncovered and it shouldn't disappear when put in the spotlight.

Consulting Professionalism at BroadPoint

Professionalism in a consultant is hard to define but easy to recognize. For most of our customers, the work that we do supports mission-critical functions within their organizations. There is an expectation that we are “professionals” brought in to augment their staff, providing guidance and support to the host organization, a partner they trust much like their lawyer or accountant. We need to be those professionals in skill and demeanor. We are expected to be able to interpret requirements and communicate findings to and from all levels of the organization, without passing judgment on people, processes or decisions. A professional consultant is firm in his or her requirements and in doing so is respected by an organization’s end-users, supervisors and executives.

The following items provide guidance on how best to compose oneself within a host organization to successfully interpret needs, understand requirements and communicate solutions.

· Maintain a CONSERVATIVE DEMEANOR at all times. Temper behavior, avoid emotion, be personable (not personal) and maintain a positive attitude. This should be true of your personal dress code as well as your demeanor. Your professionalism is the only thing that should call attention to yourself.

· Understand the host organization’s NORMS but be FIRM. Know who is in charge and be familiar with the organizational hierarchy. Make certain that you know who is responsible for whom and for what function. Dress appropriately, always a step above the norms of the host organization and navigate around the political pitfalls within an organization (e.g. the lowest threshold for casual dress is a collared shirt, chinos and non-athletic, closed-toe shoes). Use your best judgment (and receive permission where necessary) with regard to making outside calls, using the Internet, receiving cell phone calls and checking for messages. Be sure to balance customer needs with BroadPoint needs and be firm on our requirements and project requirements.

· Show up PREPARED and know when you need help. Take the time to prepare for a customer visit especially if it is your first time with this customer (confirm, confirm, CONFIRM). Gather input from your manager and fellow consultants, and peruse the customer’s information in CRM and on applicable vendor/partner sites. Customers expect that we will “hit the ground running” since we are the experts and preparation time is often a billable activity. Additionally, know when you need to call in the backup assistance. Customers do not expect consultants to know everything; however, they do expect consultants to know when they do not know something - save them time and money by getting assistance when you need it. Your practice manager and consultant peers are your best place to start. Again, the key here is a results-oriented approach.

· See the problem through the CUSTOMER’S EYES. Try at all times to maintain your objectivity when assessing a customer’s problem. We all approach problems through the lens of past experience and stored knowledge which serves consultants well in finding solutions efficiently. Recognize this fact and strive to assess the problem with the clearest lens possible to avoid jumping to the wrong conclusion.

· Take in the BIG PICTURE and solve the true problem. Know how the customer will measure success by understanding the affects of the problem throughout the organization. Be sure that you are addressing the root issue and not a symptom of the problem by involving all affected parties in problem and solution determination.

· CLEARLY ARTICULATE your findings and requirements. This is your top priority. Consultants must communicate with customers, project managers and fellow consultants to ensure success. Communication does not always require formal documentation – though it is important to maintain a permanent record of your requests, instructions and recommendations for the customer (along with thorough time recording – see related section). Determine the importance of your message and its intended audience when determining your communication method. Always assume that the customer will require documentation of requirements, setup, status, solutions and maintenance, all billable activities (the customer’s Delivery Order and/or your project manager will guide with regard to the budget).

· MANAGE your customers’ EXPECTATIONS. Help customers to set achievable targets, goals and objectives. Remember, the customer views you as the expert. Maintain conservative estimates with plans to achieve beyond them. Take your lumps up front by quickly addressing difficult situations whenever possible (it will hurt more to wait since a problem rarely improves over time without intervention). Above all, be honest and protect your integrity and credibility. Involve your practice manager or project manager if you feel that you may be unable to manage the customer’s expectations effectively. Respect the customer’s budget making certain you properly manage expectations around the level of effort involved to address an issue.

· Ensure you follow up and OWN the problem. The customer should always know where he stands before you consider yourself finished. Do not assume that the customer is fully in synch with you. In his or her mind, you own the problem regardless of who ultimately provides the solution. Confirmation of work completion is critically important. Be clear about the amount of effort a resolution will required on your part and ensure that you have buy in from the customer before proceeding.

· Pay attention to the administrative tasks of your job. Be respectful of customer and fellow BroadPoint staff member’s needs by keeping on top of your email and voicemail messages (both cell phone and office voicemail). Plan for time to address customer support issues, BroadPoint administrative tasks and confirmation of future meetings. Consultants must adhere to the following standard administrative metrics:

- Respond to emergency customer requests within 2 business hours
- Respond to all internal and customer queries (email or voicemail) within 8 business hours (turn on your out-of-office assistant when out for a day or more, offering an alternative touch point and a sense of when you will be back online)
- Save all supporting documents to the repository within 24 hours
- Submit the prior week’s time and expenses by 8am on Mondays
- Confirm all your appointments within a 10 business day window
- Ensure your personal calendar contains all commitments within 60 day window
- Submit vacation requests at least 4 weeks prior to planned start date


Note: Steer clear of providing definitive accounting, audit or tax advice in order to reduce BroadPoint’s exposure to liability. Though we are all professionals in the customers’ eyes, customers should be counseled to seek the advice of industry professionals especially when it relates to IRS code or audit standards. Simply preface your comments in these areas with a “be sure to check with your accountants or attorneys…”

Creating a Deer Park

I run the professional services organization for a business systems application consulting company (BroadPoint Technologies). As such, I am responsible for services profitability, consulting delivery and customer satisfaction. The foundation of all of this is rooted in developing a team and creating an environment where the team can grow and develop their consulting skills. My goal in creating this blog is to provide a workspace where consultants can learn and develop ideas, clearing the area of impediments to growth.