December 18, 2008 Issue 024 : Return to Articles : Printable Version

The Best of 2008

2008 has been chaotic and frightening for many industries, but the facility service industry hasn't suffered much, yet.

2009 will present opportunities and challenges for contract services - your pick, both will be there.

Our 2008 Revenue-IQ articles and posts provided practical actions and big picture ideas. Some leading edge, some common sense, all free.

Readers noticed Revenue-IQ's focus broaden in 2008 to include the customer's perspective, as well as the contractor's. This shift occurred as our consulting work extended in that direction.

As a result, Revenue-IQ provided a more holistic view of service engagements, whether in-house support services or outsourced contract services.

We've grouped 2008's best articles and posts in the following categories:

• The Biggest Picture
• Expectation
• Promise
• Engagement
• Customer Experience

We wish you the very best in life and business in 2009.

Chris Arlen, President, Service Performance

The Biggest Picture

Continents of the Contract Service World
Four continents from which to chart new concepts of contract service in the 21st century.

The Service Contract Manifesto
A declaration of customer-contractor interdependence set forth in 35 principles.

The Triple Bottom Line
The next competitive advantage will be the Triple Bottom Line, a concept where business success is measured in profits -and- environmental stewardship -and- social responsibility. The key is “and”.

Expectation

Gap 5 & Roswell
What's hidden Roswell's hangar? Gap 5. It's the mystery that's baffled contractors ever since there were service contracts.

The 5 Service Dimensions All Customers Care About
Not the 5th Dimension, but the 5 service dimensions that customers really care about.

Shrinking Spend Year-on-Year
What's the problem reducing a service contract 5% a year and then another 5% the next year and then another 5%, and another?

The Endgame of Support Services
Answering the questions why support services exist and how to tell if a support service fulfills that purpose.

Implied Service Responsibilities
Contract service has responsibilities, it's not a hands-off affair. Find out what responsibilities are implied for customers and contractors.

Promise

Proposal Best Practices - Self Assessment
Improving proposal win rates means reaching sales goals faster, and then surpassing them. This article is a self- assessment tool for proposals. It's based on 10 best practices. Print it out and then check your answers and score.

Can’t Save Your Way to Success
If you're a support service, you're there for a reason. Eliminating your cost altogether is not the goal.

3 Questions about Turnover Rates
“Figures lie and liars figure” and employee turnover is one of those much used questionable figures.

Engagement

Time to Change the RFP Game?
Today's RFP process is broken. Customers have lost focus on getting the best value available. This article explores a new RFP model - a Scenario-based RFP process - to help customers get back on track towards selecting the contractor who can deliver the best value.

More about Scenario-based RFPs
A follow-up post to "Time to Change the RFP Game? ".

What’s the Right Price for Service?
The riddle for service customers and contractors is addressed, maybe there's an answer?

Procurement Talks: An Interview with Microsoft
An interview with Tom Lencer, Procurement Manager for Microsoft in which he gives his perspective on contracting and outsourced vendor relationships.

Procurement Talks: An Interview with Expedia
An interview with Gary Kawasaki, Senior Director of Corporate Procurement for Expedia, providing insight into procurement's role, strategies and tactics.

Overcoming Recession Reluctance
What happens to service customers and contractors during a recession? We're finding out, but here's an earlier post about some things you can do.

Selling to Procurement
A look at selling to 2 procurement styles: traditional and progressive.

Customer Experience

Contract Governance: The Movie
It's melodrama, it's real life, it's playing at a business near you. A look at what happens, doesn't happen, and what might happen in contract governance.

Contract Performance Reviews
There's an implied trust between customer and service contractor, which is confirmed during performance reviews.

Customer Contract Vigilance?
Service value only counts if customers receive it. But what if customers aren't paying attention?

Image by Norman Chee

Permission to reprint or distribute: email carlen@serviceperformance.com