You'll be right mate. I take it you have email and phone contact with the mother ship. Better to use it and appear a little slow with your colleagues than to stuff up with the customer. A happy customer will gain you recognition and any annoyance to colleagues will be forgotten. An unhappy customer will not be forgotten
'Sink or Swim' work strategy
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2,180 Posts
During my career I have often found myself in this position. Firstly don’t worry about the $ involved. It’s all relative. Some tips from a master swimmer.
Nod a lot and have your finger in the classical thinking pose (i.e. resting squarely on your chin) when your client is talking
When he asks you a question you don’t know the answer too think about it for a moment just say â€Å" to be safe I’d like to look into that further and get back to you :wink:
More often that not you will find they know less than you do and their perception of you being clever will give you the benefit of the doubt. Please note this perception will only last a couple of meetings after that you have to show results.
I’ve recently made a very big decision to leave my well paying secure office job to start my own business sub contracting doing maintenance.
This job whilst not glamorous it should be better for my health as I wont be travelling 4 hours a day to and from work and my stress levels should reduce significantly. I also get to use and buy lots of new tools and drive around in my Ute.
The area I cover will be north of Hornsby up to the NSW/QLD border. The yak will be on the roof when travelling so I may be able to catch up with our members up north and west for a fish. The only bad part is that I wont be able to spend my day surfing the net and posting on the forum. So you may notice I may not be around hear as much any more. Not a bad thing I hear some of you say.
I’ll pass around my new mobile and email address when I have them. I will still attend trips and post when I can.
Nod a lot and have your finger in the classical thinking pose (i.e. resting squarely on your chin) when your client is talking
When he asks you a question you don’t know the answer too think about it for a moment just say â€Å" to be safe I’d like to look into that further and get back to you :wink:
More often that not you will find they know less than you do and their perception of you being clever will give you the benefit of the doubt. Please note this perception will only last a couple of meetings after that you have to show results.
I’ve recently made a very big decision to leave my well paying secure office job to start my own business sub contracting doing maintenance.
This job whilst not glamorous it should be better for my health as I wont be travelling 4 hours a day to and from work and my stress levels should reduce significantly. I also get to use and buy lots of new tools and drive around in my Ute.
The area I cover will be north of Hornsby up to the NSW/QLD border. The yak will be on the roof when travelling so I may be able to catch up with our members up north and west for a fish. The only bad part is that I wont be able to spend my day surfing the net and posting on the forum. So you may notice I may not be around hear as much any more. Not a bad thing I hear some of you say.
I’ll pass around my new mobile and email address when I have them. I will still attend trips and post when I can.
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1,345 Posts
You'll be good Gatesy. Approach it as a challenge and eat the elephant bite by bite. Greg made a good comment when he said that don't assume that the customer knows everything you do. I find that the bigger the corporation the more inefficiently they are doing the simple things.
I once started to sell software into one of the biggest banks in Australia that would introduce efficiencies around thir sales processes. I was getting a whole bunch of misleading messages and very confused strategies as to how to roll out and implement, particularly around the human interaction side of the organisation. It was really stressing me and weirding me out until I just had to point out to the customer that they were sending me very mixed signals that were confusing the hell out of me. I was feeling very on edge. Here was this huge bank that had just made billions in profit and I couldn't for the life of me decifer their sales strategy.
The answer: "Oh...yes...well the reason for that is simple. It's because we have absolutely no freakin idea what we are doing". That was literally their answer. I almost fell over. Go in assuming you know way more than they do. People in big corporations are always looking for creative ideas and leadership from external credible parties.
Greg is right. Frown alot, look em in the eyes, node, say "hhhmmmm that's interesting" alot, day dream about yak fishing when they get boring etc.
By the way Greg, congratulations on your big move! I did the same 3 years ago and it is the best decision I ever made (well apart from the wife, children and the yak). I have a little bit of influence over a local (Swansea)real estate agent that manages rentals. Perhaps I could intro you as a maintenance guy if that would be any help? :idea:
Let us know how you go Gatsey.
JT
I once started to sell software into one of the biggest banks in Australia that would introduce efficiencies around thir sales processes. I was getting a whole bunch of misleading messages and very confused strategies as to how to roll out and implement, particularly around the human interaction side of the organisation. It was really stressing me and weirding me out until I just had to point out to the customer that they were sending me very mixed signals that were confusing the hell out of me. I was feeling very on edge. Here was this huge bank that had just made billions in profit and I couldn't for the life of me decifer their sales strategy.
The answer: "Oh...yes...well the reason for that is simple. It's because we have absolutely no freakin idea what we are doing". That was literally their answer. I almost fell over. Go in assuming you know way more than they do. People in big corporations are always looking for creative ideas and leadership from external credible parties.
Greg is right. Frown alot, look em in the eyes, node, say "hhhmmmm that's interesting" alot, day dream about yak fishing when they get boring etc.
By the way Greg, congratulations on your big move! I did the same 3 years ago and it is the best decision I ever made (well apart from the wife, children and the yak). I have a little bit of influence over a local (Swansea)real estate agent that manages rentals. Perhaps I could intro you as a maintenance guy if that would be any help? :idea:
Let us know how you go Gatsey.
JT
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12,307 Posts
Gatesy there has been a mountain of good advice given so no more is required from me, as its been said already; really no different to fishing with a constant challenge for a result, and with each achievement a new PB is reached.
Greg enjoy the new adventure and all the best for success
Greg enjoy the new adventure and all the best for success
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1,926 Posts
Ahh geez Gatesy you’ll be right.
Just the fact that you are nervous means that you won't do anything too stupid.
I know how you feel with being out of your comfort zone with a job, that was me a few weeks back, still is in some ways but I’m getting there.
Just be yourself and be confidant in what you know.
Just the fact that you are nervous means that you won't do anything too stupid.
I know how you feel with being out of your comfort zone with a job, that was me a few weeks back, still is in some ways but I’m getting there.
Just be yourself and be confidant in what you know.
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867 Posts
Yeah, I reckon you'll be right Gatesy. If you don't go out of your comfort zone, you're not going to learn much.
At worst, it'll be a good resume builder. At best, with all of that cash floating around, some of it will stick to you! :lol:
Did I mention that one of my other half's sister's boyfriends works in a recruitment company focused on finance, accountants, etc :wink:
At worst, it'll be a good resume builder. At best, with all of that cash floating around, some of it will stick to you! :lol:
Did I mention that one of my other half's sister's boyfriends works in a recruitment company focused on finance, accountants, etc :wink:
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