As we begin a new year and a new decade, technology and the business marketplace will continue to grow and evolve more rapidly than ever. There exist core principles, however, that transcend changing business conditions. These include:
Strong core values. This goes beyond a laid-back dress code and flexible hours to the vision, mission, culture, and valu
es of the company. Every one of our meeting rooms has a framed document outlining our shared values. Our prospective employee interview process is framed around questions relating to these values indicating they aren’t just hollow words pasted on a wall.
So, how do we make customers wildly successful today and into the future? Read on…
Outstanding market intelligence. It’s vital to stay current with all types of trends, to recognize opportunities, and to adapt to changes in the marketplace. As an example, we diligently listen to and track suggestions from our customers for improving our products. Our most recent release of GainSeeker, v9.3, contains 77 enhancements that came from customer input. Beyond general feedback from our customers and monitoring industry trends, we also work with Gartner Consulting, an experienced board of directors, and a client advisory board composed of select customers. In the coming year, we are planning client interviews to better understand the value we provide our customers.
Effective strategic planning. We invested a significant resources in the fall of 2018 developing a strategic plan and identifying action plans meet the goals identified in the plan. As we recently reviewed the past year’s efforts, it was gratifying to see the progress we have made. The strategic plan wasn’t stuck in a few people’s heads or worse on a shelf, but it was a living document and became a part of our daily work. Items from the plan that are impacting clients include an enhanced GainSeeker Platform Library on the website, improved and additional eLearning modules, and inclusion of Critical to Success factors (from the client’s viewpoint) in every Statement of Work.
Superior processes. One area we are working on in 2020 is to better understand our internal processes and determine how we can use technology to enhance customer service. We have identified some areas to improve on and are rolling this effort into our strategic plan to keep it active and visible.
It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that our products and services are what make us successful, but it is our attitude, processes, and commitment to our customers that help us to achieve our goals. Keeping these core values top of mind will help to create success for both Hertzler Systems and the many companies with which we partner.
